After his trip to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is planning the next explosive visit: the target is Russian President Vladimir Putin, as it became known Sunday evening. The journey will start tomorrow Monday.
The trip was agreed with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. According to Nehammer, he wants to act as a “bridge builder” and “try everything to get a little closer to peace,” according to sources close to the chancellor. This requires not only telephone calls, but also personal visits.
neutrality in the foreground
Nehammer came under criticism on Saturday after his visit to Ukraine. Above all, he was accused of endangering Austria’s neutrality by showing solidarity with Ukraine.
Nevertheless, Zelenskyy thanked the Austrian chancellor for his visit. Given the expected offensive by Russian forces in the east of the country, Zelenskyy said in a joint press conference: “It will be a difficult battle, but we believe in our victory.”
After talking with Zelenskyj, Nehammer traveled on to Bucha, where more than 300 were found dead after Russia withdrew. “They were killed with their hands tied and shot in the neck.” Nehammer heard these and other stories of atrocities in the satellite city of Kiev.
Militarily neutral, but…
Nehammer stressed that the war unleashed by Russia was “completely unacceptable” to Austria. “We are militarily neutral, but not when it comes to naming crimes and going where injustice actually happens.” Austria supports EU sanctions, the chancellor emphasized, and there will be more Give sanctions packages “with the aim of ending the war”.
Source: Krone
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