Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that Raiffeisen Bank supports sanctions against the Russian Federation and has not invested in the Russian economy since the occupation of Crimea, and the Austrian government does not intend to ignore attempts to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions by anyone.
“Raiffeisen Bank has branches not only in Russia, but also here in Ukraine. Raiffeisen supported our sanctions right away, but we knew from the very beginning, from the time Russia annexed Crimea, that you can’t invest in Russia because it’s risky investments, and there is no support from the Austrian government for Raiffeisen Bank, although it is a very big investor in Ukraine as well. And Raiffeisen Bank itself will try to make efforts to ensure that all sanctions are observed,” Nehammer said at a joint press conference with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday in Kyiv, answering a journalist’s question about the work of Raiffeisen Bank in the Russian Federation.
“In Austria, any attempts to circumvent these sanctions will be punished. We must act with strong, powerful sanctions against Russia. Not only the Austrian Raiffeisen Bank, but also other firms and banks are losing large investments. But the losses that the Austrian economy suffers from sanctions , although they amount to billions of euros, are incomparable with the pain and grief experienced by the Ukrainian people,” the Austrian Chancellor added.
He stressed that Austria will increase sanctions against the Russian Federation until the war is over. “Militarily, we are neutral, but we can never put up with crimes and will help those who suffer from injustice. This means that Austria fully supports the sanctions of the European Union, imposes them on itself, and Austria also supports Ukraine with its capabilities. “What is most needed from Ukraine’s point of view. Within the framework of the European Union, we will further strengthen sanctions until the war is over. And now another package of sanctions has been adopted, and this will not be the last one, with the aim of stopping the war,” Nehammer said. .
According to him, the new package of sanctions will have to be “more powerful and more accurate” – “Russian weapons factories will not receive electronic parts, and without these parts drones will not be able to fly, and weapons will not be able to be used.”
“We will continue on this path, and in the European Union everyone is united, and we will make these sanctions stronger than ever before in the EU. We understand that they are not enough, because people are dying, but we need to these sanctions should be imposed in such a quantity that they are directed against those who cause these sanctions. And all partners in the EU want to stop this war,” the German Chancellor stressed.
He also noted that Austria is making efforts to create effective humanitarian corridors, including for the evacuation of people from Mariupol, Donetsk region, and also promised to support refugees from Ukraine. “There is a lot of solidarity in Austria with those people who were expelled from Ukraine by the war. There is a lot of willingness to help, and this is very common for Austrian society – people want to help and help if they can. I promise that this will not stop,” Nehammer said. .
The Italian Embassy in Ukraine will resume its work in Kyiv after Easter, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said, Corriere della Sera reports.
“We were the last to leave Kyiv and will be one of the first to return,” Di Maio was quoted as saying by Corriere della Sera.
He stressed that this is another gesture of support for the Ukrainian people, a concrete way to confirm that diplomacy must win.
“In the coming days, all the checks necessary for moving to Kyiv will be carried out, everything must be done in a safe environment and in coordination with other European partners,” Di Maio said.
Austria will help alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Ukrainian people and end the war, said Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who is visiting Ukraine.
“Thank you for the open and honest conversation and the warm welcome in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky. Austria knows what the Ukrainian people are going through right now. We will help in any way we can to alleviate humanitarian suffering and end this war,” Nehammer tweeted on Saturday.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, handed over to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky a questionnaire for joining the EU.
“Here we have intersecting roads, your road to the EU begins, this is already a close path. I will give you this folder, this questionnaire, here are the questions, you need to answer them. These are formal recommendations,” Leyen said at a press conference with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday.
Leyen stressed that Ukraine’s place is in the European family.
“We are with you in your dreams of Europe. I want to say very clearly: Ukraine has a place in the European family. We heard this statement from all your people, and we give you a positive answer to your request. This folder contains a very important stage of your arrival to this family. This is the basis for our discussions in the coming weeks,” she said.
In addition, the President of the European Commission stressed that this process will not last for years, as usual, but only weeks.
“Whatever the result, Ukraine has a very big step to recover, because Russia is brazenly destroying the infrastructure of Ukraine, the city of Ukraine. Therefore, we want to work together with you to reform Ukraine, restore Ukraine. This will positively determine Ukraine’s path to the EU “, Leyen also said.
She explained how the process usually takes place. “After a country submits an application, the Council of the EU decides that the Commission should issue its conclusion. Usually, it takes years. In the case of Ukraine, we are talking about weeks. We handed over our questionnaire, it will be filled in negotiations between Ukraine and the EU. This will be a picture of what is happening in the country, whether the country meets the Copenhagen criteria,” she said.
According to Leyen, Ukraine and the EU have agreed and committed that they will work on this important step to get all the answers to these detailed questions.
“It’s not just one question that determines our conclusion, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. We want to work shoulder to shoulder in order to paint a picture of the country and the path to Europe. After that, the Commission issues its conclusion, which is recommendation to the Council of the EU and after that the Council is already deciding on the next steps,” she said.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer arrived in Kyiv on Saturday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Austria supports us in resisting the aggression of the Russian Federation. The visit of Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer to Kiev is an important manifestation of solidarity with the Ukrainian people,” the president said in a Telegram channel.
Zelensky stressed that it is an important signal for us that Austria supports Ukraine and thanked for the help.
“And I think today we will talk in detail about this or that support. I would like to thank the people of your country separately, we saw how they took to the streets, on the squares, supported us in the struggle for our independence,” Zelensky said during the meeting .
In turn, the Austrian Chancellor noted that he expresses respect to the President, government and people of Ukraine.
“It is quite clear that we, Austria, are on your side and are trying to help wherever, whenever and wherever we can. And we will expand our assistance,” Nehammer stressed.
The EU Council obliged the Belarusian cargo carriers to withdraw all transport from the territory of the European Union by April 16 this year, this follows from the decision of the EU Council, published in the official journal of the European Union.
“In view of the gravity of the situation… it is appropriate to ban any road transport company established in Belarus from transporting goods by road across the territory of the Union, including in transit. Further action by the Union is required to implement this measure,” the document says.
The decision states that the ban, which came into force on April 8, for any road transport enterprises established in Belarus to transport goods by road across the EU, including in transit, “does not apply until April 16, 2022 for the transport of goods that began before April 9 April 2022, provided that the vehicle was already on the territory of the Union on April 9, 2022 or is in transit through the Union to return to Belarus.”
It is also reported that the ban does not apply to enterprises transporting mail, as well as to the supply of natural gas and oil to the EU, including refined products, as well as titanium, aluminum, copper, nickel, palladium and iron ore; pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilizers; goods for humanitarian purposes, as well as transport of diplomatic and consular representations of the EU and Member States in Belarus, including delegations, embassies and missions, or international organizations in Belarus, enjoying immunities in accordance with international law.
The decision came into force on April 9.
