Austria’s chancellor to meet Putin in Moscow

ANKARA

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer will visit Moscow on Monday to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, becoming the first European leader to meet with him since Russia launched its war on Ukraine.

Austria is a militarily neutral country, but it has a “clear stance” on the Russian war against Ukraine, Nehammer said Sunday on Twitter.

He urged the two sides to stop the war and reach a cease-fire to pave the way for the establishment of humanitarian corridors and a full investigation of war crimes.

Nehammer said he informed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about his scheduled visit to Russia.

Nehammer’s visit will come after he met with Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko in Ukraine on Saturday.

During the visit, Nehammer reiterated Austria's support for Ukraine and said "the war crimes committed by Russia cannot be ignored."

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has been met with international outrage, with the European Union, US and the UK, among others, implementing stringent economic penalties on Moscow.

Hundreds of global companies have also suspended operations in Russia.

At least 1,793 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 2,439 injured, according to estimates by the UN, which noted that the true figure is likely far higher.

More than 4.5 million Ukrainians have also fled to several European countries, with millions more displaced inside the country, according to the UN refugee agency.