Ukraine war: Austrian leader holds ‘tough’ talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin
- The meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer is Putin’s first with an EU leader since the invasion began over six weeks ago
- The visit drew flak in Austria over fears that it would be used for Russian propaganda
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer held “very direct, open and tough” talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin near Moscow on Monday, in Putin’s first meeting with a European Union leader since the invasion of Ukraine started more than six weeks ago.
Neutral Austria, which obtains 80 per cent of its natural gas from Russia, generally maintains closer ties to Moscow than much of the European Union but that has not been the case recently.
Nehammer has expressed solidarity with Ukraine and denounced apparent Russian war crimes, while his government has joined other EU countries in expelling Russian diplomats, albeit only a fraction of the large Russian diplomatic presence there.
“This is not a friendly visit,” Nehammer was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office soon after the meeting at Putin’s official Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow. A Nehammer spokesman said the meeting lasted 75 minutes, which is relatively short by Putin’s standards.
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Mariupol destruction visible from the air as Ukraine and Russia continue to fight over port city
Nehammer repeated previous comments that he had hoped to help bring an end to the conflict or improvements for Ukraine’s beleaguered civilian population such as humanitarian corridors. He gave little away about Putin’s response.
“The conversation with President Putin was very direct, open and tough,” Nehammer said in the statement.