Visit Vienna – Senskyj hopes for help with the rear lands

“Nowhere should you lose children, even the time cannot heal this pain.” His people know this pain every day, the Ukrainian president emphasized at a joint press conference with Van der Bellen. Senskyj thanked for the earlier support of Austria in the humanitarian area. This is “very important”. The Ukrainian state guest also hopes for help with freezing Russian assets, the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and with the return of thousands of abducted children.

“Children are not exchanging goods”
Unlike prisoners of war, he did not talk about an “exchange”, in contrast to the previous exchange of prisoners of war, because “children are not exchanged, they are not exchange goods”. Bilateral declarations of intent were signed on Monday for all these points. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria Beatte Meinl-Reisinger insured: “Ukraine can count on our support in returning the children who have violently abducted children.”

The ministry said that Austria was campaigning for those who were responsible for being held responsible. Austria supports Ukraine with humanitarian aid, psychosocial support, educational projects and the reconstruction of a safe infrastructure. “Because every child needs an environment in which it can be a child again,” said it.

Since the start of the war almost two years ago, thousands of children from Ukraine are said to have been deported by the Russians. The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in the Hague, has therefore already started research and issued international arrest trips against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian representative for children’s rights, Maria Lwowa-Belowa.

Senskyj hopes for cooperation in deliveries
Senskyj also made it clear that he expects stronger cooperation between the Austrian authorities in delivery efforts with regard to his own citizens. It is about Ukrainians, “who are now hiding in Austria, so that they can escape responsibility. This is irresponsible, especially in the sign of the war,” said the 47-year-old president. “We hope that Austria will help us with this question and support us.”

When asked by “Krone” foreign editor Clemens Zavarsky, Senskyj also confirmed his skepticism in terms of Russian neutrality proposals for his country. “In 2014, Ukraine was a block -free country and we see how it all ended. It ended with a war, with the occupation of the Crimean protection and part of the eastern Ukraine,” he said. The Ukraine was “almost neutral” at the time, had not had enough determination and the army was not enough. “We want this war to be ended, but not after an ultimatum and not at the price of independence of Ukraine,” he told Moscow.

Van der Bellen: “Ukrainians don’t want to be Russian topics”
Van der Bellen confirmed the clear support of Austria for Ukraine. “The people in Ukraine do not want to be Russian topics, they fight for their freedom,” he emphasized. It’s about a country that can choose itself. “Ukraine not only leads this struggle for itself, but for all of Europe, also for us. I thank you for that,” he told Senskyjs. Austria supports Ukraine in many areas, just not militarily.

Stocker: We know who the aggressor is “
After the appointment with Van der Bellen, Senskyj also met Chancellor Christian Stocker. The ÖVP -Baas also emphasized: “We know who the aggressor is and who the victim is. I can assure you that this will stay that way in the future.” In general, Austria is “on the side of the right side, not on the side of the so -called stronger”.