/RUSSIA: Chancellor Nehammer Heads To Moscow For Meeting With Putin

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer will travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, the Kronen Zeitung reported before official confirmations by the Kremlin and the Federal Chancellery.

• Nehammer will be the first EU leader to meet Putin in person after Russia launched its unprovoked attack on Ukraine, although several other leaders held phone calls with the Russian dictator.
• Nehammer tweeted that Austrias European partners have been notified of his plans and called for a ceasefire, humanitarian corridor and full investigation of war crimes.
• The Chancellor has just come back from his visit to Kyiv, where he told Ukrainian President Zelensky that Austria supports the escalation of EU sanctions against Russia.
• Note that Austria is militarily neutral and not a NATO member, which has traditionally allowed it to mediate between Western and Russian interests. Its banking and energy sectors are heavily reliant on Russia, with 80% of all gas imports into Austria sourced there.