Austrian Parliament Speaker: No negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine

He made this statement during a conversation with Speaker of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, a Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“There is no doubt that the war launched by Russia is illegal under international law… As Rosenkranz stated, peace negotiations can only take place with Ukraine at the table, not about Ukraine,” the press service of Austria’s National Council reported.

The Austrian parliamentary leader emphasized that Austria is willing to offer itself as a neutral venue for peace talks.

Despite being a member of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), which is known for its pro-Russian stance, Rosenkranz assured that Austria would continue supporting Ukraine.

“Rosenkranz stressed that there will be no changes in bilateral relations or in Austria’s assistance and support for Ukraine. He assured his Ukrainian counterpart of Austria’s willingness to cooperate as much as possible within the framework of neutrality,” the press release stated.

Rosenkranz also noted the formation of a parliamentary friendship group between Austria and Ukraine. He pledged support for all forms of cooperation between the Austrian and Ukrainian parliaments.

Walter Rosenkranz, a member of the far-right FPÖ, was elected President of Austria’s National Council on October 24, 2024. This marks the first time a representative of this post-war-rooted party has held the parliamentary speaker position.

In the Austrian parliamentary elections, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) secured 28.8% of the vote, surpassing the ruling Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), which received 26.3%. Currently, the FPÖ and ÖVP are negotiating the formation of a coalition government.

The FPÖ is considered Austria’s most pro-Russian party. Some of its members have previously called for an end to aid to Ukraine and demanded the lifting of sanctions against Russia.