(ANSA) - VIENNA - Western sanctions against Russia haven't worked and both Moscow and the West would benefit from lifting them, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday as he visited Austria.

Putin, making his first foreign trip since being sworn in for a fourth term, said the restrictions are "harmful for everyone - those who initiated them and those who are targeted by them." Russian president spoke after meeting liberal President Alexander Van der Bellen. He had meetings later Tuesday with conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache.

Van der Bellen said Austria "has always striven to contribute to reducing tensions, and we will do so now and in the future." But he stressed that, on sanctions, "Austria acts and will act in harmony with the European Union." Austria will take over the 28-nation EU's rotating presidency for six months in July.

Austria's OMV is now among European companies involved in the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would double the amount of gas Russia can send directly to Germany, skirting transit countries such as Ukraine - a project opposed by the U.S. and some other EU members. (ANSA).