Concern that Russia's friends will be the biggest in the Austrian elections

Two years after Russia's annexation of Crimea, the Austrian Freedom Party concluded a friendship agreement with Putin's United Russia party. The agreement has expired and the party, which never made its contents public, says the document has disappeared.

Then-Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, appointed by the Freedom Party of Austria, had particularly close relations with Vladimir Putin, whom she also invited to her wedding. Today she lives in Russia and works in the Kremlin on species protection issues.

Major spy scandal

In a major espionage scandal uncovered in Austria last spring, security policeman Egisto Ott, who had close ties to the Austrian Freedom Party, was arrested.

Ott has now been charged on suspicion of spying for Russia, which he denies. But the link is worrying for party leader Herbert Kickl, and he has once again highlighted potential contacts with Russia.

– The conservative People's Party (ÖVP) claimed that Mr. Ott, now in detention, must have had a central position with me. Ladies and gentlemen, it's a pure lie, Kickl said when the scandal was revealed in April.

Abolition of sanctions

The party wants to lift European Union sanctions against Russia, does not rule out leaving the European Union, and demands that Austria withdraw from European cooperation in the field of air defense, Sky Shield, which it recently joined, all of which are issues that are in good harmony with Russia’s interests.

– I'm not because we have a common air defense shield against Russia. It is also not compatible with neutrality, says Kickl in an interview with the Austrian press.

– Russia has a growing interest now in particular in intervening and trying to separate Austria from organizations such as the European Union and NATO. Just as with Hungary to form a corridor across Europe, says Michel Raymond.

Watch the report from Austria in the video above.