After numerous phone calls, Chancellor Nehammer said on Friday that Russia had given positive signals that it would allow seed exports. Expert Mangott doubts a “real attempt at mediation”. The Neos locate “show politics”.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) gave brief information on Friday afternoon about a series of telephone calls that he had made on Friday in the context of the Ukraine war. Among others, Nehammer spoke to Wladimir for 45 minutes Putin.
The Chancellor’s Office announced in advance that Nehammer wanted to talk to Putin about the possibility of an exchange of prisoners and possible green corridors for the export of urgently needed seeds. Earlier talks were held with the Ukrainian President Zelensky, the President of the International Red Cross Maurer, the Secretary General of the United Nations Guterresand the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan instead of.
Nehammer said that Ukraine was offered to take care of 100 seriously injured people, primarily women and children who lost limbs as a result of gunshot wounds. He also secured support in securing green corridors – including by sea – for the export of thousands of tons of seeds in prospect. These would have to be delivered as quickly as possible “to feed the world.” Here, Austria – through the Raiffeisen group – makes a “valuable contribution to logistics”.
“Intense and serious” conversation with Putin
Before the talks with Putin, Nehammer had also coordinated with the UN Secretary General, whom Nehammer brought into play as a mediator on the issue of the green corridors. The goal is for Ukraine and Russia to come to an agreement for the delivery of seeds and fertilizers that are needed worldwide. He had discussed the stalled exchange of prisoners with the Red Cross.
The concluding talks with Putin – as a continuation of the one in Russia a month and a half ago – were again “very intense and serious”. Nehammer gave him a “clear confrontation with the madness” of his war and the suffering of the people. Putin has signaled a willingness to allow exports by sea. But the “real willingness will only be shown when this is actually implemented,” said Nehammer skeptically. UN Secretary-General Guterres should act as a mediator here. Putin has also promised that he wants to negotiate more about the exchange of prisoners, Nehammer said.
“It’s another step further,” Nehammer said of the conversation, in which Putin continued to pursue his “own war logic” and his “own narrative.” But he is aware of the drama that the war means for the food security of the entire world. However, it will only become clear in the next few days whether Putin’s positive signals will actually lead to the expected extraditions, said Nehammer. No one spoke about Putin’s demands on Ukraine. “The most important thing is what Ukraine wants, it is the victim,” said Nehammer. “That prevents us from dictating what Ukraine wants.” Zelenskiy emphasized that he only wanted to enter into negotiations once the Russian army had withdrawn. He was “very clear and not willing to think about a deviation.”
Neos criticize “show politics”, expert skeptical
The opposition sees Nehammer’s recent diplomatic activities as a diversionary maneuver. “Whenever things get tight for the ÖVP, they come up with some fancy staging,” said Neos Secretary General Douglas Hoyos, alluding to that Debate about the use of Corona aid funds from the ÖVP Senior Citizens’ Association.
“After the unscheduled visit to Putin, today it’s a phone call with the warmonger. However, this eternal show policy cannot hide the fact that the ÖVP owes the taxpayers answers in the case of the senior citizens’ association. ”The Neos want to file a complaint.
The Russia expert Gerhard Mangott was also skeptical after the press conference on Twitter: If it had been a real attempt at mediation, the press statement that followed would not have been made at all. “Mediation happens in secret, not in front of open microphones,” Mangott wrote.
(juwe)