Nehammer on Monday became the first European Union leader to meet with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Saturday, Nehammer said the conversation with Putin was not “friendly” but “frank and tough.”

“I think he is now in his own war logic. He thinks the war is necessary for security guarantees for the Russian Federation. He doesn’t trust the international community. He blames Ukrainians for genocide in the Donbas region.”

When asked by host Chuck Todd if Putin thought he was winning the war, Nehammer said he thinks “he believes he is winning the war.”