Geneva/Vienna, Switzerland and Austria have signaled their willingness to host Russian President Vladimir Putin for peace negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, even though the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis emphasized that, as a neutral country and seat of international diplomacy, Switzerland, particularly Geneva could host the talks, even making an exception to its ICC obligations if those talks are strictly for peace, not personal visits.
Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker similarly offered Vienna as a venue, citing the country’s long tradition of hosting dialogue through organizations like the OSCE. He affirmed Austria’s readiness to support any initiative that would advance a “just and lasting peace” for Ukraine and Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron backed the idea earlier, suggesting a peace summit might be held in neutral Switzerland, potentially Geneva. These developments occur in the context of renewed diplomatic intentions to arrange a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, and European capitals are showing flexibility on a number of sensitive legal and political issues surrounding any meeting.
