Former Austrian chancellor quits Russian oil giant over Ukraine

Wolfgang Schuessel says he left Lukoil because Russia’s invasion “crossed a red line”

Former Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel has become the latest Western figure to distance himself from Russia over the war in Ukraine. He announced on Friday that he had quit his post on the supervisory board of the energy giant Lukoil.

“For me, someone who always advocated constructive ties between the European Union and Russia, the warlike attack on Ukraine, the brutal attacks on and bombardment of the civilian population have crossed a red line,” Schuessel told the Austria Press Agency.

He said he had spent his final days at the company pushing it to adopt a resolution criticizing the current situation in Ukraine, and had assisted it to write a statement calling for an end to the conflict.

Earlier this week, Lukoil called for the cessation of military action and the resolution of the crisis through diplomatic channels.

“The board of directors of Lukoil expresses herewith its deepest concerns about the tragic events in Ukraine. Calling for the soonest termination of the armed conflict, we express our sincere empathy for all victims who are affected by this tragedy,” the company said in a press release.

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