“It doesn’t help, it doesn’t hurt,” we say in Austria. This proverb also applies to Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s visit to the belligerent Russian president. No embarrassment, but no peace result either – what did the chancellor’s visit to Moscow actually achieve?
The fear that the meeting between Karl Nehammer and Vladimir Putin would fail was justified, after all, Russia is known all over the world for its lies and insidious propaganda. But: it has to be different. No smiling handshake photos, no shiny videos and no staged press show. It was just a conversation between two statesmen. Austria did not make this mistake!
Result: “I was there”
This text could actually end here, as there are no tangible results. Well, no one seriously believed that our chancellor could bring peace to Ukraine with a raised index finger – for free. A little emotion, perhaps even an expression of interest in a direct meeting between the two warring sides, would have been secretly expected. But all that remains is “I was there”.
Yes, you need to talk to Putin
But: that alone is a positive thing, given the feared shyness. Moreover, it was a chance to bring the warlike Putin back to Earth. Every anti-war voice heard from him is important, and while there is still a bridge to Russia, it must be used. If he doesn’t talk to him, it won’t bring peace to Ukraine either. Ultimately, this requires negotiation and diplomacy.
… but better preparation would have been good
Yet it is bitter when the version of the Russian media is completely different. It was foreseeable that the propaganda king would not give up when Austrian Chancellor Putin wanted to make it clear that “this war must end”. The counter-statement of the gas extortion in the Russian media the next day was therefore no surprise. This could have been better foreseen with more precise preparation. This leaves a bitter aftertaste and the question, “Who speaks the truth?”.
It would be a good opportunity to get yourself together
Even after the meeting, one thing remains clear: Austria will not be able to solve this war alone, Karl Nehammer is not a dove of peace. The attempted negotiation was good, but now would be a good time to bet on the strength of a united Europe. Cohesion and Europe – that’s a contradiction in terms, but maybe war would be an opportunity to get yourself together.
Source: Krone
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