Austrian Chancellor Urges EU to Have Direct Talks with Russia

(MENAFN) Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called on the European Union to pursue direct talks with Russia as a way to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Diplomatic communication between Moscow and the EU, as well as the UK, was largely cut following the escalation of the war in 2022. However, several European leaders have recently advocated renewed engagement with Russia, arguing that the current approach has left the bloc sidelined from peace initiatives spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.

“I think that we need channels to Russia because without talks we will not find a solution,” Stocker said during an interview. He emphasized that the EU must be prepared to negotiate a “viable peace solution” and confirmed that such discussions would require engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as he is the one who “decides.”

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine’s European supporters were preparing for potential talks with Putin “at the technical level.” Macron had first suggested re-establishing diplomatic contacts with Russia late last year, noting that “it will become useful again to speak with Vladimir Putin.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, previously skeptical about negotiations with Russia, recently stated that the EU must “find a balance again with our largest European neighbor.”

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