Moscow (Times Of Ocean)- Austria’s chancellor Karl Nehammer met Vladimir Putin at Russian President’s residence in Moscow. Ukrainian
A spokesman for the Austrian chancellor told AFP on Monday afternoon that a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Karl Nemmer had begun at Putin’s residence in Moscow.
The Austrian official explained that the meeting was held to discuss efforts to open humanitarian corridors in war-torn areas of Ukraine.
Karl Nehammer is the first European head of state to hold face-to-face meeting with Russian president since start of war on Ukraine.
Austria is a militarily neutral country, but it has a “clear stance” on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nehammer said on Twitter.
In his message, he urged the two sides to stop the fighting and reach a ceasefire so that humanitarian corridors can be established and war crimes can be fully investigated.
As part of Nehammer’s scheduled trip to Russia, he informed EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Charles Michel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Nehammer visited Russia after met Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday.
Nehammer said that Russia cannot be ignored for war crimes it has committed against Ukraine.
The Russian invasion has waged in Ukraine since February 24 has sparked international outrage, with the EU, the US, and the UK, among others, implementing economic sanctions against Moscow.
International firms have halted activities in Russia as well.
UN estimates have found at least 1,793 civilians dead and 2,439 injured in Ukraine, although the true toll is likely much higher.
UNHCR reports that 4,5 million Ukrainians have fled to several European countries, with millions more displaced inside Ukraine.