Still this Tuesday, the Switzerland also admitted to guaranteeing immunity to Putin If peace conversations take place in Bern.
The Austrian government has admitted on Tuesday to be open to a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, despite the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the Russian leader.
“If negotiations are held in Vienna, we will contact the ICC, due to our headquarters of international organizations in Vienna to allow President Putin to participate,” said the Austrian Chancellor’s Office, conservative Christian Stocker.
In the statement, quoted by the APA news agency, it is stated that “the possible question of participation in any peace negotiations of persons against which there is a warrant of detention of the ICC must be previously clarified in consultations with the court.”
In February 2023, the Austria allowed the participation of six Russian delegates Subject to sanctions by the European Union and the United States at a meeting of the organization for safety and cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The Austrian government argued at the time that, as a country that welcomes OSCE’s headquarters, it was forced to grant visas for Russian representatives to travel to Vienna, despite several states requested that they were not allowed to participate.
Hungary may receive a meeting
In Hungary, local press also advanced this Tuesday, with the possibility of this meeting be able to take place in Budapestaccording to “US official sources”.
Budapest’s hypothesis was also mentioned by the US website that reported on Tuesday that the White House is planning a trilateral meeting (Putin, Zelensky and US President Donald Trump) in the Hungarian capital, citing an employee close to the Trump administration that spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Still this Tuesday, the Switzerland admitted to ensuring immunity to Putin If peace conversations take place in Bern.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis admitted this possibility during a press conference in the Swiss capital with the Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant of capture against the Russian head of state by the “abduction of Ukrainian children” from the regions of Ukraine, invaded by Moscow forces, which were deported to territories in Russia.
Bern and Vienna’s statements come a day after a meeting in Washington between the French, Emmanuel Macron, Finnish, Alexander Stubb, and the heads of British, Keir Strmer, and German, Friedrich Merz.
Also present in the Federal Capital were the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
