Karl Nehammer does not return from Moscow with good news in his suitcases.

The Austrian Chancellor, the first European leader to be received by Vladimir Putin since the start of the intervention in Ukraine, said Monday he was "pessimistic" about the "logic of war" of the Russian president.

"If you ask me now whether I'm optimistic or pessimistic, then I'm rather pessimistic," he said after his meeting.

“We should have no illusions.

President Putin has massively entered into a logic of war and he is acting accordingly” in the hope of recording “a rapid military success”.

Putin's 'little interest' in meeting Zelensky

According to the Chancellor, "there is little interest on the Russian side for a direct meeting" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Vladimir Putin nevertheless “reiterated his confidence” in the talks in Turkey.

The last session was held on March 29 in Istanbul.

In addition, Karl Nehammer defended his “one-to-one” meeting in Russia, stressing “the importance of having personal contact to confront the president with the realities of the war and directly convey the point of the Europeans”.

In a statement, he had earlier described the more than hour-long discussion with Putin as "frank, open and difficult".

The crimes in Boutcha mentioned

"I spoke about the serious war crimes in Boutcha and other places, saying that all those responsible must be brought to justice," said the Austrian Chancellor.

Boutcha is a locality near kyiv that has become a symbol of atrocities, where Karl Nehammer went this weekend like other Western officials.

Moscow has firmly rejected any involvement.

"I made clear to the Russian President the urgency of setting up humanitarian corridors to bring water and food and evacuate women, children and the wounded from besieged cities".

The meeting took place in the residence of Russian President Novo-Ogaryovo, near Moscow.

No image has filtered from the meeting which, according to the Austrian press, did not result in a handshake.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, this closed-door format was chosen at the initiative of the Austrian side.

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