Austrian chancellor meets with Putin in Moscow

VIENNA, April 11– Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday. Nehammer was the first head of government from European Union countries to meet Putin in Moscow since the start of the Russia- Ukraine conflict. He announced his Moscow visit on Sunday, saying he planned the trip on his own initiative and aimed to…

VIENNA, April 11 (Xinhua) — Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday.

The meeting was “very direct, open and tough” and his primary message to Putin was “that the war must end, because both sides can only lose in a war,” Nehammer said in a statement released after the meeting.

He emphasized in the statement that his Moscow trip was “not a friendly visit,” the Austrian news agency APA reported.

The Austrian chancellor also said he had addressed the “serious war crimes in Bucha and other places” in the meeting and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Nehammer was the first head of government from European Union countries to meet Putin in Moscow since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Nehammer’s press spokesperson Daniel Kosak tweeted on Monday that the meeting between Nehammer and Putin lasted for 75 minutes and “no joint pictures or joint press statement” would be released “at Austria’s request.”

On Saturday, Nehammer met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev to show political support and visited the town of Bucha. He announced his Moscow visit on Sunday, saying he planned the trip on his own initiative and aimed to promote dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Austria expelled four Russian diplomats for “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status.” Enditem