Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said that aggressor

will always remain important for Europe.

Like, to think otherwise is a delusion.

This is reported by Reuters with reference to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria.

"To think that Russia will no longer exist and we can be separated in all spheres is a delusion. Dostoevsky and Tchaikovsky remain part of European culture, whether we like it or not. She (Russia - Ed.) will continue to be our greatest neighbor. She will remain the second largest nuclear power in the world," said Shallenberg.

According to him, although Vienna will loosen ties, it "cannot happen overnight".

At the same time, the minister advocated strengthening the current European sanctions against Moscow.

Shallenberg noted that the introduction of further measures.

"a very blunt weapon", and sanctions packages should be "given time to work".

By the way, the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his thoughts after the beginning of the year, the US sanctioning body started an investigation against the Raiffeisen bank regarding its business related to Moscow.

In particular, criticism from investors was also caused by the Russian scheme of granting vacations from loan payments to military personnel fighting in Ukraine.

Raiffeisen participated in this scheme.

We will remind, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO countries have been working for many years to have a meaningful dialogue with Russia, but in Moscow they decided to move away from it. 

in Europe for many years, even if the war in Ukraine ends tomorrow, Stoltenberg emphasized. 

Read also:

• The meeting between Putin and Xi Jinping: the USA told how it will affect the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine

• Putin got mad over shells with depleted uranium and threatened "war to the last Ukrainian"

• Warrant for Putin's arrest: Orban calls the report that Budapest blocked the EU's statement a fake

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