VIENNA, June 5./TASS/. If Europe wants to cut down the flow of migrants from the Middle East, the region must get help in setting right the life in those countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday.

"I have repeatedly said, and would like to take the opportunity here to repeat - if Europe wants to reduce the flow of migrants, including from that region, it is necessary to help people get back to their homes, to set the life in their countries right," Putin said.

He said that at talks with the Austrian chancellor, they had discussed the Syrian crisis. Putin said he welcomed "Austria’s readiness to join humanitarian actions to support the Syrian population".

Putin also said he had briefed Sebastian Kurz on ways of achieving a settlement in Donbass and noted there is no alternative to the Minsk agreements.

"[We] exchanged views on a number of global and regional issues. We also talked about the situation in Ukraine. I briefed Mr. Federal Chancellor on how Russia sees further possibilities concerning the settlement in Donbass," Putin said.

He noted that "Russia and Austria are in favor of full and strict compliance with the Minsk accords by all parties to the conflict."