Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz remarked on Thursday that Russia is one of his country's main trade partners outside the European Union and that Vienna is dedicated to revitalizing those bilateral relations.
"About 600 Austrian companies are operating on the Russian market. They provide jobs in both countries," Kurz told TASS. Speaking about his participation in the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Kurz described it as a "good opportunity during difficult times to highlight not only the Austrian economy's stable interest in Russia but also maintain dialogue with Russia and its leadership."
Kurz's appearance at the SPIEF, to which he was invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin, comes after Austria expressed its readiness to purchase one million doses of the Gamaleya Research Institute's vaccine against COVID-19, Sputnik V. The chancellor later urged the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to accelerate its decision on the use of the jab in the EU.
