Austrian Chancellor Expresses Negative Impressions from Meeting with Putin

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has expressed that he did not receive positive impressions from his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was reported yesterday by MeinBezirk.

“The conversation with Putin took place around the same long table as in the Kremlin; it was a face-to-face discussion. A very straightforward, honest confrontation. I did not get any positive impressions from the meeting,” said the Chancellor.

Nehammer stated that when he raised the issue of international investigations into war crimes in Ukraine, there was a “harsh confrontation” between him and Putin. According to the Chancellor, the Russian president referred to the war crimes in Bucha as a “staged event by the Ukrainian side.”

Nehammer noted that Putin largely adopted a military mindset and acts accordingly. Responding to the notion that the war should end soon, Putin remarked, “That wouldn’t be bad.”

“Overall, Russia seems to be in the preparatory phase for a military assault in the separatist regions of eastern Ukraine,” the Chancellor stated. He highlighted the need for humanitarian corridors for the civilian population. “In principle, the Russian side agrees to cooperate with the International Red Cross. I pointed out to President Putin that he is responsible for the security of the corridors with his army,” Nehammer added.

It is worth noting that on April 9, Karl Nehammer visited Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Austrian Chancellor also visited the city of Bucha.