Zelenskyj visits Vienna: police operation without precedent!

Zelenskyj visits Vienna: police operation without precedent!

On Monday, June 16, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj landed at Vienna-Schwechat Airport together with his wife Olena Selenska. The visit was unexpected and was accompanied by extensive security precautions. An impressive police escort led the presidential couple on their journey to downtown Vienna. In particular, special units such as Cobra and WEGA were deployed to secure central locations in the city, while the airspace was monitored by helicopters meinkreis.at reported.

The security measures could not be overlooked and led to large parts of Vienna's city center, including Heldenplatz, being completely sealed off. Access to the public was closed from 9 a.m., and the surrounding areas such as Michaelertor, Kohlmarkt and the Burgtheater were also affected. Due to the security situation, restrictions on public transport became necessary, meaning that many Viennese had to replan their routes. This measure was described by the police as an “all-day lockdown” and the police presence represented one of the largest security operations in the city in many years today.at determines.

Reception and discussions in the Hofburg

After their arrival, the presidential couple were received with military honors at the Hofburg. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and First Lady Doris Schmidauer warmly welcomed the two, while the guards played the national anthems of Austria and Ukraine. The program then included bilateral talks in four- and eight-person formats, to which Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Economics Minister Karl Hattmannsdorfer and Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler were invited.

At the same time, Vice Chancellor Babler offered Austria as a location for future peace negotiations and emphasized the country's role in the geopolitical landscape. A joint press briefing between delegations was scheduled for 3 p.m., with five declarations of intent to be signed. The topics ranged from security policy cooperation to the protection of children in crisis areas. A working discussion between President Zelenskyj and Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker in the afternoon rounded off the program.

Protests and security precautions

However, the state visit was not without controversy. Two demonstrations were scheduled for the day: one in support of Ukraine, while the other was against President Zelensky's visit. These rallies were scheduled to take place in the downtown area, with police establishing a heavy presence along the routes. For security reasons, there was no information about the exact number of participants and strategies, which further inflamed the situation.

Security precautions around the Hofburg and the Federal Chancellery remained in place until the evening, when Zelensky finally traveled back to Kiev. The Vienna National Library and the House of History remained closed throughout the visit, highlighting the impact of the state visit on everyday life in Vienna.