After making headway a day earlier on how to help Libya overcome its long-running conflict, the world's foreign ministers turned their attention to Syria.
The United States and Russia co-chaired a meeting of the International Syria Support Group, which aims to restore a truce across the country and get aid into besieged areas.
Ahead of the talks Germany's Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, had stressed the importance of focusing on the political process with Syrian opposition groups.
"It's about improving the conditions for the ceasefire and humanitarian aid, so we can win over the opposition to negotiate with the regime in Geneva. We have to see how to bring about political change. It's important because there is no lasting future with Assad. That's what we're here in Vienna to find. Under the auspices of the United Nations auspices, we must negotiate what a transitional government could look like and set the course for it."
Earlier Syria's main opposition, the High Negotiations Committee, had said it was not willing to return to any talks without a full ceasefire and access for humanitarian aid.
A Negotiations Committee spokesman even said the Vienna meeting was unlikely to achieve any results.
Russia, which has shown solidarity with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, hit back, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov criticising opposition groups for setting preconditions to their participation.
"We stressed the need to send a strong message to the part of the opposition that's trying to put forward ultimatums and formulate preliminary conditions. We felt that our US colleagues understand the importance of making sure that all agreements are strictly followed, including the need for the presence of all opposition representatives at talks with the government delegation."
In a joint statement after the meeting, the participants have set a June 1st deadline for the resumption of humanitarian aid to areas cut off from the outside world.
If land routes remain blocked, food aid will be air-dropped and international pressure will be increased on those preventing relief from getting through.
Pressure will also be applied to stop the Syrian army using indiscriminate force - but they failed to specify what that would actually involve.
The UN's special envoy to Syria, Staffan De Mistura, has even been unable to announce when negotiations on a political transition will resume.
"We cannot wait too long, we want to keep the momentum. The exact date I'm not at the moment revealing it because it will depend also on other facts. We're having Ramadan starting soon, and we need to bear in mind that credible intra-Syrian talks will become credible when there is a credible development on the cessation of hostilities and a credible improvement on the humanitarian side."
Mr De Mistura was joined by both the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the press conference.
Mr Kerry once again made it clear Washington wanted President Bashar al-Assad out of power, saying Russia should be using its influence to secure a transition.
"There is leverage in the fact that this war will not end for him or for his people without a political settlement, everybody understands that. That is why we have the cessation of hostilities we have today, and some delivery of humanitarian assistance, not as good as we want, but it's there because we have some leverage. Standing to my right is leverage: Russia."
But Mr Lavrov repeated Moscow's line that it is not fighting on behalf of any particular ruler.
"In his opening statement John said, as if it were something to be taken for granted, that Russia and Iran were supporting Assad. We don't support Assad. We support the fight against terrorism. And we don't see on the ground a more efficient force than the Syrian government army, despite all its shortcomings."
The Vienna meeting also marks Australia's first appearance.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has spoken to Channel Nine, insisting progress has been made - but she says there's still a long way to go.
"The resolve of other nations to end the humanitarian crisis, to end the conflict and ensure the ceasefire is permanent and national, and also to ensure there can be a political solution has been demonstrated here. It will take time but at least now we have a timeline to work to."
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is also describing the meeting in positive terms.
"We have reached something positive. In the last weeks we have seen some shortcomings of this, and this group meeting today, I hope can be helpful to re-energise this process and give us the possibility to reach the people in need inside Syria."
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