Austrian Chancellor: Tough talks with Putin in Moscow

“It was not a friendly visit,” Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Six weeks after the Russian intervention in Ukraine, Nehammer was the first prime minister of an EU country to speak personally with the Russian president. The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, took place behind closed doors at Moscow’s suburban presidential residence in Novo-Ogarjovo.

Russian mistrust

The talks were “very direct, open and difficult,” Nehammer told reporters in Moscow. He also spoke with Putin about war crimes in Butsha and elsewhere, and made it clear that those responsible must be brought to justice. Putin had expressed distrust of an independent judiciary in dealing with these crimes, Nehammer said. Chancellor Nehammer has offered Austria a commitment to clarify through international criminal justice.

“My most important message to Putin was that this war must end, because in a war on both sides there are more losers.” Nehammer said his trip had consulted with EU leaders as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This trip was an obligation, to make every effort possible. “Because for me there is no alternative, that despite major disagreements, the line of direct talks with Russia must be maintained.” But at the same time, Nehammer said, “there is no optimistic impression”: The Russian army is preparing an offensive in eastern Ukraine. “This battle will be fierce.” Therefore civilians from combat zones should be sent to safe places.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer

Baerbock will supply heavy weapons to Ukraine

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is calling for help as soon as possible for Kiev. “It is clear: Ukraine needs further military material, mainly heavy weapons,” said ecologist Baerbock ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. According to her: “Now there is no time for excuses.”

Together with Ukraine, the supply of weapons and their training should be organized as soon as possible. Baerbock did not say what weapons Germany could supply to Ukraine.

Germany has so far sent anti-aircraft missiles, bazookas and automatic weapons to Ukraine, among others. Heavy weapons mean tanks, warships or artillery. No such weapons have been sent so far, although Ukraine has been requesting them from Germany since February.

The EU is available with a lot of military aid

Against the backdrop of a possible Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine the entire European Union will supply more government to Kiev. EU foreign ministers approved a 500m-plus increase in joint military aid, bringing the total to 1.5 billion, as noted by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. meeting.

Financial support for investigations

For investigations into the Ukraine war Germany and the Netherlands have respectively pledged to make available an additional one million Euros to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. With this money, war crimes investigations should be advanced, Baerbock said in Luxembourg. EU foreign ministers consulted there Monday (April 11th) with Hague Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan.

According to many EU countries, time is not waiting: Observers estimate that Russian President Vladimir Putin will celebrate the victory on May 9, the day when the triumph over Nazi Germany is traditionally celebrated. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said Putin needed “a trophy” and that he would do his best for a victory in pro-Russian territories in eastern Ukraine.

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