Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer warned of Russian interference in European elections and also distanced himself from French President Emmanuel Macron, who has allowed French troops to be sent against Russia in Ukraine.
"Russia is trying to influence European elections and I think the same will happen with our national elections. We must guard against this and expose disinformation campaigns," the chancellor said in an interview with the French daily Figaro. Nehamer believes that Russia is trying to create a network of different groups in the EU and develop its information channels. "This is a threat to all of Europe," he said.
At the same time, Nehammer does not fully agree with Macron on the Ukrainian conflict and considers it necessary to avoid an escalation of tensions. "We agree with the goal of achieving lasting peace. Where we differ is the choice of path to achieve this goal. I'm all for the precautionary principle. The French president is a supporter of the principle of deterrence. Some elements look convincing when we see the aggressiveness with which the Russian Federation is acting, but I believe it is necessary to follow the precautionary principle to avoid an uncontrolled escalation," said Nehammer. According to him, a dialogic format is needed to resolve the conflict. "We share the point of view regarding support and solidarity with Ukraine. We also believe that it is necessary to have a format in which the parties to the conflict can once again engage in dialogue with each other. Vladimir Zelensky's peace plan lays the foundation for this," the chancellor believes. /BGNES
