Ukrainian President to Austria's Chancellor: "Don't know how long Ukraine will exist"
The situation in Ukraine is highly dramatic, Austria's Chancellor Nehammer reported from a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The latter had requested to stand by his country, which was under attack by Russia.
Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in December 2021. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Arno Melicharek (cropped)
Zelenskyy made an urgent appeal to the world not to forget Ukraine. He said it would take a global coalition of all democratic states, further sanctions and support to end this war.
"It was one of my most intense phone calls as chancellor. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had begun by saying that he was reporting from a country that he didn't know how long it would exist and he was reporting as president without knowing how long he would be alive."
"He immediately informed us that there is heavy fighting on the territory of Ukraine and civilian infrastructure is affected. The President is asking Europe and the world for help and fears for the existence of his country, especially for the lives of his fellow citizens," the Austrian Chancellor informed about the conversation with Zelenskyy.
Austria has a clear position here, he said: "We are committed to the European Union, to solidarity and therefore also to reacting with all determination to this action by the Russian Federation, which is contrary to international law."
Austria, as well as the EU, had always stressed the importance of dialogue and maintaining the basis for talks.
At present, unfortunately, weapons speak much more than diplomacy. This must be reversed.
The situation of concern in Ukraine is great. According to Karl Nehammer, the closely coordinated cooperation on security and humanitarian aid, which has already proven its worth in recent decades, will be of central importance.
We are again experiencing war in Europe. We are seeing international law being broken and the Russian Federation claiming not the strength of the law but the law of the strongest.
Austria, even as a neutral country, strongly condemns Russia's actions and supports the announced tough EU sanctions, he said. Nehammer also stressed that "humanitarian aid is now more than necessary.