LOC00:26
21:26 GMT
VIENNA, Nov 23 (KUNA) -- Austria's Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger warned on Sunday that Europe was becoming a "pawn in world history", stressing that the EU must present its independent peace plan for Ukraine.
Meinl-Reisinger made this remark during an interview with Austria's public television channel ORF's "Pressestunde" program
She highlighted the rapid developments surrounding the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine.
She noted that EU should quickly put together a high-level delegation to represent its interests in Geneva for peace in Ukraine.
She suggested that Finnish President Alexander Stubb should lead the European delegation, noting his good relationship with the US president and Finland's experience after abandoning neutrality and joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in addition to Finland currently holding the presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which includes Russia as a member.
Meinl-Reisinger described the US peace plan itself as partly "grotesque, and criticized the fact that the US, as a NATO member, is acting as a mediator between Russia and NATO.
Furthermore, she urged the EU to present an independent peace plan that reflects its own interests and security priorities.
She once again spoke out in favor of abolishing the unanimity principle in EU foreign policy to make Europe more capable of action. As an EU member, Austria is not politically "neutral" in the Ukraine war. (end)
amq.ahs