Rubio to Meinl-Reisinger: 'You are doing a good job as hosts in Vienna'

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger described her meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington as "very good and substantial." The discussions, which lasted 45 minutes, focused on three key areas: the situation in the Western Balkans, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the conflict with Iran.

Both ministers shared the view that Russian President Vladimir Putin is deliberately delaying negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Meinl-Reisinger stated that while Ukraine, Europe, and the United States are prepared for peace talks, Putin is not. Rubio affirmed the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine militarily and strengthening sanctions against Russia, noting that Europe and the U.S. are currently aligned on this issue.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Meinl-Reisinger expressed pessimism about an imminent agreement, echoing Rubio's assessment that Iran consistently presents maximalist demands, undermining potential solutions. This stance complicates efforts by Oman, which has been working with Iran for months to find a resolution. Meinl-Reisinger emphasized the importance of completely free navigation in the Persian Gulf, warning against setting a precedent where Iran could impose service fees or threaten to close the strait. She plans to discuss this further with her Iranian counterpart.

Meinl-Reisinger also conveyed significant concerns to Rubio about the potential destabilization of the Western Balkans, urging continued U.S. engagement in the region. She noted difficulties in agreeing on a successor for Christian Schmidt as the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, partly due to disagreements between France and Italy. The U.S. values Austria's commitment and expertise in the Western Balkans, where the Austrian army is set to take command of the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and continues to contribute soldiers to KFOR in Kosovo.

Both officials deliberately avoided contentious topics. Meinl-Reisinger noted that Rubio did not raise the issue of the International Criminal Court, which the U.S. government rejects while Austria strongly supports. Tariffs were briefly touched upon during the meeting.

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You are doing a good job as hosts.