The leader of Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ), one of the country’s most influential political forces, Herbert Kickl, has urged Europe to change its approach toward relations with Russia, according to Der Standard.
Call for a Common Security System
Kickl emphasized that the current moment presents an opportunity to bring Europe and Russia closer together.
“Now there is an open window of opportunity to try to bring Europe and Russia closer. For a long time, the Americans did not want this. The goal should be a common security system instead of a new Cold War or, God forbid, a third world war. After all, we truly live with Russia on the same continent. Russia will not just disappear into thin air,”
he declared.
Normalization with Moscow
The FPÖ leader called on his party to take steps toward normalizing relations between Brussels and Moscow, arguing that constructive dialogue was essential for Europe’s long-term stability and security.
Context of Austria’s Position
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky stated that Vienna would not serve as a negotiation platform for resolving the crisis in Ukraine, as Austrian diplomacy was currently “out of the game.” He noted, however, that Vienna regularly expressed readiness to provide a platform for any kind of talks on Ukraine.
