Nehammer in Russia – Kickl tam: Chancellor’s mediation “to be applauded”

In a broadcast, Kickl was especially upset by Nehammer’s performance in recent weeks. “This was not really constructive preparatory work. Unfortunately, the chancellor has already destroyed a lot of porcelain.”

Nehammer “under pressure”
For through his meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as well as through a myriad of “undifferentiated statements and activities”, Nehammer, as the chancellor of a neutral country, has pressured himself to some degree. , which now requires a personal visit to Moscow. “It is to be hoped that Nehammer is well prepared and does not head into negotiations with Putin head over heels so that Austria does not suffer further damage,” Kickl said.

Kickl urges to secure Austria’s energy supply
In any case, it is of enormous importance for the Austrians to secure the energy supply of our country after the recent “hara-kiri sanctions”. “However, to do this it is necessary to break with the EU’s boycott considerations, which are becoming more and more real,” Kickl continued.

“In the interest of peace and security in Europe and saving energy security and thus prosperity in Austria, it is hoped that the visit is part of a lasting solution and not part of a staging of any image. to be used by both sides for their own propaganda is great,” the FPÖ chairman warned.

And added: “If the visit is to achieve anything in the long term, then Nehammer must fundamentally change his previous line of firstly imposing neutrality and secondly representing only militarily,” the FPÖ chairman demanded.

Green careful to critical
Nehammer’s meeting with his coalition partner – the Greens – aroused no enthusiasm. Provided the trip is coordinated with the EU, “it might be worth a try,” Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler said cautiously on Monday. MEP Ernst-Dziedzic was much more critical on Twitter: “No, I cannot approve a visit to Putin,” she said. “It has nothing to do with diplomacy. This is also not an agreed roadmap for negotiations. Putin will use this for his propaganda,” Ernst-Dziedzic fears.

SPÖ skeptical
The SPÖ was also skeptical. “Having a dialogue and talking to everyone is important, but it is just as important to have a clearly defined goal for this conversation with Putin and to be well coordinated within the EU,” said SPÖ Europe spokesman and deputy club boss Jörg Lightfried Monday. “I hope that this coordination with the EU partners has also taken place. In any case, the common European path must not be abandoned and the Chancellor is hopefully aware that the risk to the reputation of Austria’s foreign policy is great,” warned Leichtfried. “In the end, what matters is the outcome of this conversation.”

Russia expert with sharp criticism
In Sunday evening’s “ZiB 2” Russia expert Gerhard Mangott of the University of Innsbruck harshly criticized Nehammer’s visit to Moscow: “I don’t think this visit was a wise decision.” No one in the EU was waiting for a bridge builder, Eastern Europeans have already sharply criticized this move, Mangott said. Russian President Putin has control over the images from this visit and will know how to use them, he warned. Nehammer will provide Putin with pictures that read: “I am not isolated, there are countries in the West that are working with us.”