“Some Austrian opposition politicians said the wedding invitation undermined the European Union’s foreign policy on Russia, which included sanctions in 2014 in response to its occupation and annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, including dancing with the leader.
On Saturday, Putin stopped in Gamlitz in the southern Austrian province of Styria on his way to Germany to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Kneissl, 53, wore a traditional “dirndl” dress in her nuptials with entrepreneur Wolfgang Meilinger, 54.
Putin brought a Cossack choir to entertain the bride and her groom, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS. He also bore a bouquet of flowers and a painting of village life, an antique oil press and a samovar, an urn used to prepare tea in Russia, according to Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said.
In German, he toasted the bride and groom. Afterwards, he Todd reported he said the wedding was “very good, heartful.”
Kneissl, an academic with no party affiliation, was selected for the post by Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, a coalition partner in the current government.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the Austrian People’s Party, was photographed at the wedding.
Some Austrian opposition politicians said the wedding invitation undermined the European Union’s foreign policy on Russia, which included sanctions in 2014 in response to its occupation and annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.
Members of the country’s Green Party called for the foreign minister to resign over the invitation
In Germany, Putin held informal talks with Merkel for three hours at Meseberg castle, north of Berlin. They did not conduct a news conference and Putin flew back to Russia.
