Meeting with Selenskyj

Nehammer offered Austria for peace talks

Chancellor Nehammer published a photo of the meeting with Selenskyj in Paris on X (formerly Twitter).

(Bild: x.com/karlnehammer)

Before the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) met the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Selenskyj - and offered Austria as a venue for peace talks with Russia.

On Platform X, Nehammer thanked Selensky for "the good and profound conversation today in Paris". "As a neutral country, Austria is ready to host peace talks at any time," he added.

Nehammer had previously offered Austria as a venue for peace talks in a telephone conversation with Donald Trump.

Selenskyj hopes for further support
Selenskyj, for his part, made no reference to peace talks in his post on X. "I expressed my gratitude for Austria's support for Ukraine, and we talked about extending this support for the coming year, with a focus on supporting our energy system in winter and protecting Ukrainians from Russian terror," he wrote.

"I have invited Austria to join the G-7 joint statement of support for Ukraine and to sign a bilateral agreement on long-term future support," he added. "Together, we must force Russia to build a lasting and just peace."

Trump also with Macron
Even before the reopening ceremony, French head of state Emmanuel Macron plans to receive Trump and then Zelenskyi at the Elysée Palace. It is unclear whether this will be a three-way meeting or a personal conversation between Zelensky and Trump.

It would be the first meeting between Zelensky and Trump since the latter's victory in the US presidential election a month ago. Trump takes office in January and could have a significant influence on the course of the war.

The French president's office announced that Macron would first sit down for bilateral talks with Trump at the Élysée Palace on Saturday afternoon before his meeting with Zelensky. This will be Trump's first trip abroad since his victory in the presidential election at the beginning of November.

French President Emmanuel Macron with US President Donald Trump

(Bild: AP)

Fear of defeat
There is great fear in Ukraine that Trump could drastically reduce US military aid for the country attacked by Russia after his swearing-in on 20 January and thus hand him a defeat. The United States is still Ukraine's most important supporter and largest arms supplier.

There are also fears in many EU states that Trump could enforce an unbalanced ceasefire arrangement that would effectively make Russia look like the winner of the war of aggression that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin ordered in February 2022 in violation of international law.

Selensky: "Putin does not want real peace"
While the major issues of war and peace continue to be debated at a political level, the daily bloodshed in Ukraine continues. Zelensky condemned the serious glide bomb attack on Zaporizhia as Russian terror. According to the authorities, three people were killed and 17 injured in another rocket attack on the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih. A third body was pulled from the rubble of a house hit in the morning.

"Thousands of such attacks carried out by Russia during this war make it clear: Putin does not want real peace - he wants the opportunity to treat every country in this way, with bombs, missiles and all other forms of violence," said Selenskyj. "Only through strength can we oppose this. And only through strength can real peace be created."