Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin today, making it the first face-to-face meeting between the Russian leader and an EU leader since Russian invaded Ukraine.
The meeting comes amid warnings of a fresh Russian offensive, warnings of potential chemical weapon usage, and intense shelling in the east.
Nehammer said that Austria has a “clear position on the Russian war of aggression.” He called for humanitarian corridors, a ceasefire, and a full investigation into war crimes reportedly committed by Russian forces.
Nehammer intends to tell Putin that he has “lost the war morally,” according to Austria’s foreign minister.
The UK Ministry of Defense warned today that Russian forces may use chemical weapons, specifically phosphorous, as fighting intensifies in Mariupol. It cited that Russian forces previously used the munitions in Donetsk.
Russian forces are pounding targets in eastern Ukraine, using missiles and artillery on Sunday against multiple cities. Russia has failed to actually capture any major cities, but Putin is regrouping and gathering forces in the east, and warnings are being issued for a major assault in the east.
The United States has warned that the appointment of a new general to command Russia’s military campaign will bring with it a fresh round of “crimes and brutalities” against Ukrainian civilians.
The incoming general is Alexander Dvornikov, who rose in prominence as the head of Russian troops in Syria in 2015 and 2016. During these years, there was a particularly brutal campaign against rebel-held areas, many of which were majority civilian populations.
Before going off to Moscow, Nehammer met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday. Nehammer said that Zelensky had been informed directly about the trip to Moscow.
The EU is currently discussing how to impose sanctions against Russian oil. In Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers are discussing how to help Ukraine even more.
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