Vienna's Foreign and Bilateral Relations
Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, diplomacy, culture and tourism between Austria and its partners
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Schallenberg Visit Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial Site
On the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2022, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid visited the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial together with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Governor Thomas Stelzer.
January 27, 2022
Vienna Nuclear Talks: Direct Contacts between Tehran and Washington Possible
Iranian leadership has suggested that Iran may be open to meeting directly with U.S. officials for negotiations to revive the Iran Nuclear Deal. Read about this significant stance change and what it means for the JCPOA.
January 27, 2022
EU Council President in Vienna: "Situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border worrisome"
European Council President Charles Michel was in Vienna to discuss the tense situation at Ukraine's border and other pressing issues with Chancellor Nehammer. Read about their discussion.
January 27, 2022
Expo 2020 Dubai: Austria's Youth Showcase Their Innovation
The four teams that won Austria's "Innovative Youth" competition will get to showcase their projects at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. Read about the competition and what the winning projects were.
January 27, 2022
United Nations: Guterres Appoints Volker Türk of Austria Under-Secretary-General for Policy in His Executive Office
Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Austrian lawyer and UN official as Under-Secretary-General for Policy in his Executive Office.
January 26, 2022
#WeRemember: Heads of Austrian, German, and Israeli Parliaments Meet Ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day
German Bundestag President Bärbel Bas and Israeli Knesset President Mickey Levy recently met with Austrian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka in Berlin to discuss the fight against anti-Semitism and the #WeRemember campaign. Read about their meeting and this important campaign ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
January 26, 2022
Brussels: Schallenberg Attends Ukraine Crisis Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers
Foreign Minister Schallenberg attended a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. The meeting, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also attended virtually, focused on the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Read about the meeting and watch an interview with Foreign Minister Schallenberg.
January 26, 2022
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About China's Permanent Mission to the UN and Other International Organizations in Vienna
The villa and park complex at Hohe Warte in Vienna Döbling, which was sold to the People's Republic of China in 2013 for a reported € 21 million, and in which its UN embassy has been located since 2020 under the leadership of H.E. Ambassador Wang Qun, has a storied ownership history and already belonged to Hungarian-Habsburg high aristocrats, Yugoslavian war criminals and the City of Vienna, which used it as an orphanage and in which sexual child abuse was carried out.
January 25, 2022
Meet the New Ambassadors of Congo, Bhutan, Burundi and Djibouti to Austria
The new Ambassadors of Congo, Bhutan, Burundi, and Djibouti to Austria presented their credentials to President Van der Bellen. Learn more about these new ambassadors.
January 25, 2022
European Leaders Take Unified Position Against Russian Aggression Against Ukraine
Several heads of state - including Ursula von der Leyen, Jens Stoltenberg, Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, Mario Draghi, Charles Michel and Polish President Andrzej Duda, representing the Chairmanship of the OSCE - took part in a virtual meeting organised by the President of the United States Joe Biden, on Russia’s continued military build-up in and around Ukraine and its implications for European and international security.
January 24, 2022
C.I.A. Review Finds Mysterious "Havana Syndrome" Unlikely Caused by Enemies
A CIA assessment has found that most of the cases of the "Havana Syndrome" that has been affecting hundreds of diplomats around the world are not likely the result of actions of a foreign power. Read about the CIA's findings and what they believe the cause of Havana Syndrome is.
January 24, 2022
Van der Bellen: New Year's Address to the Diplomatic Corps in Vienna
President Van der Bellen delivered his New Year's address to the Diplomatic Corps in Vienna. He talked about the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. Read what the president said and watch his speech.
January 24, 2022
Covid in Austria: Borders Are Open Again
Since January 24, guests from all countries with 2G+ or boosted can enter Austria - there are then no more virus variant areas. Great Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway are no longer considered virus variant areas. Tourist travel is possible for vaccinated and recovered persons. Here is an overview of the updated entry regulations.
January 23, 2022
Austria's Position on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain high as Russia still has thousands of troops stationed on the Ukrainian border. Read Austria's position on the issue.
January 22, 2022
Schallenberg on Russia's Aggression Toward Ukraine: "Dialogue where possible. Clear lines where necessary."
Foreign Minister Schallenberg gave a speech in the Austrian National Council in which he addressed the current tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Read what the foreign minister warned about the situation.
January 21, 2022
Kazakh Foreign Minister in Vienna Promises Investigation into the Unrest
Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Muchtar Tileuberdi met with Foreign Minister Schallenberg in Vienna, and the pair discussed the recent protests and violence in Kazakhstan. Read more about their discussion, and watch their joint press conference.
January 20, 2022
Meet Dr. Michael R. Carpenter, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the OSCE
Ambassador Michael Carpenter, an American diplomat, was nominated by President Biden to serve as the Permanent Representative of the USA to the OSCE - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and was confirmed by the United States Senate in November, 2021. On November 29, 2021, he assumed office as ambassador after presenting his credentials at the OSCE in Vienna.
January 20, 2022
Austria's Initiatives to Strengthen EU External Border Management
Austria is co-organizing a conference in Lithuania to discuss EU external border protection. Interior Minister Karner, who will represent Austria at the meeting, first stopped in Hungary to talk about the issue with his Hungarian counterpart Sándor Pintér. Read more about Austria's efforts to strengthen EU external border management.
January 20, 2022
Meet the Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE, Mr. Alexander Lukashevich
The Head of Mission of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna is Mr. Alexander Lukashevich. Learn more about his extensive career in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and what he thinks of the status quo of the OSCE.
January 19, 2022
Meet Mordechai Rodgold, Israel's Ambassador to Vienna
H.E. Mr. Mordechai Rodgold is the current Ambassador of Israel to Austria. Learn more about Ambassador Rodgold and his impressive career.
January 19, 2022
Russian Arms Control Delegation in Vienna: Contradictions Related to U.S. Social Media Account Outages
According to reports by Russian news agencies TASS and RT, the Facebook account of the Russian Arms Control Delegation, a division of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the OSCE in Vienna, was blocked last Friday and unblocked on Monday, after intervention by Russia's telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor. A fact check of the relevant Russian media reports reveals a tangle of allegations and exaggerations.
January 19, 2022
Meet Andrei Plotnikov, Head of the Trade Representation of Russia in Austria
Dr. Andrei Plotnikov, who was born in 1959 in Donetsk in the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, currently the embattled eastern part of Ukraine, has been the Head of the Trade Representation of Russia in the Republic of Austria since 2021.
January 18, 2022
Meet the New Mongolian Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Mr. Tsengeg Mijiddorj
The new Ambassador of Mongolia to Austria, H.E. Mr. Tsengeg Mijiddorj, presented his credentials to President Van der Bellen. Learn more about Ambassador Mijiddorj.
January 18, 2022
Russia-Austria Relationship: "A Window of Opportunity"
Against the backdrop of a simmering military-technical conflict between Russia and the West in Ukraine, Russian bilateral ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinsky says Russian-Austrian ties in the sphere of culture and science have traditionally been "the trump card in relations between the two states."
January 18, 2022
Israel and Austria Step Up Cooperation on Security Issues
Israeli Ambassador Mordechai Rodgold and Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner met for working talks to discuss further cooperation on security issues. Read more about their meeting and what they said about the fight against anti-Semitism.
January 18, 2022
Demand for Luxury Real Estate in Austria Increased by 12 Percent Due to the Corona Situation
Luxury real estate demand increased by 12 percent in Austria in 2021, according to the Engel & Völkers Group. Read more about the luxury real estate trends in Austria and around the world.
January 17, 2022
Meet the New Italian Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Mr. Stefano Beltrame
The new Ambassador of Italy to Austria, H.E. Mr. Stefano Beltrame, presented his credentials to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen. Learn more about the new ambassador.
January 17, 2022
Schallenberg Cautions "Ukraine's Sovereignty Is Not Negotiable Under Any Circumstances"
Foreign Minister Schallenberg recently discussed the current tensions between Ukraine and Russia at a meeting with his counterparts from the EU in Brest, France. Read more about Schallenberg's stance on Ukraine and dealing with Russia in the context of Russia's troop buildup and a recent cyberattack on Ukraine.
January 17, 2022
U.S. and EU Establish "Transatlantic Coordination" Against Russia
Europe and the U.S. are closing ranks in the face of feared Russian aggression against Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU High Representative Josep Borrell are determined to "form a strong, clear and united transatlantic front," European Union External Action announced after a phone call between the two. According to the statement, they expressed their commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
January 16, 2022
Meet the Reappointed U.S. Ambassador to the U.S. Mission in Vienna, Laura S.H. Holgate
Laura Susan Hayes Holgate, an American diplomat who was already accredited as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna and to the IAEA for six months between 2016 and 2017, is back under President Joe Biden.
January 16, 2022
President of Switzerland on Official State Visit to Austria
On his first official visit to Austria as president, Swiss President Ignazio Cassis met with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen. Read more about the meeting between the two presidents.
January 14, 2022
Meet the New Canadian Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Mr. Troy Barry Lulashnyk
The new Ambassador of Canada to Austria, H.E. Mr. Troy Barry Lulashnyk, presented his credentials to President Van der Bellen. Learn more about Mr. Lulashnyk.
January 14, 2022
FDI in Austria: German Chocolate Group a "Success Story" Just One Year After Mars Takeover
Foreign direct investment is on a downward trend in Austria relative to GDP. It is therefore all the more gratifying that the Baden-Württemberg family-owned company Alfred Ritter is ranked as one of the "success stories" in the ABA ranking barely one year after the Mars takeover and start of production in Breitenbrunn, Burgenland.
January 14, 2022
Russia: Authorities Liquidate Memorial, One of the Country's Most Respected Human Rights Groups
The Russian authorities' move to extinguish one of the oldest and most influential human rights groups in the country, demonstrates their relentless determination to end ongoing human rights work in Russia. Memorial's independent institutions outside Russia continue to exist.
January 14, 2022
Meet the New Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Mr. Vasyl Khymynets
The new Ambassador of Ukraine to Austria, H.E. Mr. Vasyl Khymynets, presented his credentials to President Van der Bellen. Learn more about him.
January 13, 2022
Iran Nuclear Talks: Israel Will Not Feel Bound by the Agreement
In his first appearance before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made it clear that he will not consider himself bound by any outcome of the Vienna nuclear talks with Iran. As recently as late December, he still signaled interest in reaching an agreement and possibly changing Israel's position on the Iran negotiations.
January 13, 2022
What Is the OSCE Agenda for 2022?
After taking over the chairmanship of the OSCE in early January, Poland has now presented its priorities for 2022. Read the OSCE's goals according to the new OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Zbigniew Rau.
January 13, 2022
Meet the Ambassador of the UK to Austria and Permanent Representative to the Intl Organisations in Vienna, H.E. Ms. Lindsay Skoll
The new Ambassador of the UK to Austria and Permanent Representative of the UK to the International Organizations in Vienna is H.E. Ms. Lindsay Skoll. Learn more about Ms. Skoll and her impressive career.
January 13, 2022
Russian Diplomatic Representatives in Vienna Commemorated the Day of the Unknown Soldier
Wreath-laying ceremony at the monument to the Soviet soldier at the Aspern cemetery in Vienna coincided with the Russian Day of the Unknown Soldier, annually celebrated in Russia in memory of Russian and Soviet soldiers who died in hostilities.
January 13, 2022
Vicki Kennedy Accredited as U.S. Ambassador to Austria
Victoria Kennedy presented her credentials to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, officially making her the new Ambassador of the United States to Austria. Learn more about the new ambassador.
January 12, 2022
NATO and Russian Leaders Say Differences "Will Be Hard to Bridge"
Representatives from NATO and Russia met in Brussels at the NATO-Russia Council to try to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine and NATO. Read what each side is demanding and why the leaders say the differences "will be hard to bridge."
January 12, 2022
German Ambassador in Vienna to Become Head of Department at German Foreign Office in Berlin
After only two years in Vienna, Germany's ambassador to Austria is set to become head of the culture and communications department in Berlin under Annalena Baerbock.
January 12, 2022
Resumption of the Vienna Nuclear Talks with Iran and Two New Ladies
Negotiations on reviving the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers are already continuing in Vienna. Two new representatives from Germany and the United Kingdom joined the talks at the start of the current round of negotiations. Find out who they are.
January 11, 2022
Crisis in Lebanon - Austria's 180 Men Help Counter Hezbollah
Foreign Minister Schallenberg is in Lebanon for a working visit to discuss the ongoing crisis the country is facing. Read more about Schallenberg's visit and how Austria plans to help Lebanon.
January 11, 2022
Russian Cultural Diplomacy: 130 Years of Moscow in Vienna
Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitrij Ljubinskij recently held an event to present a new book on the Russian Embassy in Vienna entitled "Moscow in Vienna: The Palais Nassau - Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Austria." Read about the event and the new book.
January 11, 2022
Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States: Austria's Foreign Minister Calls for Concrete Action
"We finally need concrete progress towards nuclear disarmament according to the obligations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but unfortunately the development is going in the wrong direction", says Alexander Schallenberg.
January 10, 2022
Kurz Appointed Co-Chairman of European Tolerance Watchdog
Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has been appointed Co-Chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (ECTR), an organization dedicated to combating the evils of extremism, racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia. In addition to British Prime Minister Tony Blair as chair, founder Moshe Kantor as president and, among others, board member Erhard Busek, former vice chancellor of Austria, are also involved.
January 10, 2022
OPEC: Kuwaiti Al-Ghais Succeeds Nigerian Barkindo as Secretary General
Mr. Haitham Al-Ghais of Kuwait was recently appointed as the next Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Read more about Mr. Al-Ghais, as well as the accomplishments of his predecessor Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo.
January 10, 2022
United States Ambassador Designate to Austria Kennedy Landed in Vienna: "Good morning, Austria!"
Ambassador-designate Victoria Kennedy has landed in Vienna to assume her role as ambassador of the United States to Austria. Read about Ambassador-designate Kennedy's arrival, her plans for her ambassadorship, and her background.
January 10, 2022
Austria's List of Pro-Kremlin Lobbyists Has One Cooperation Partner Less
The Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) has announced that it will not extend a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Russia (Единая Россия) party, a nationalist-conservative rallying party. It is the party with the largest membership in the Russian Federation under party leader Dmitry Medvedev, who supports Vladimir Putin's course. However, Russia can still rely on other former Austrian politicians. Read on to see who the most prominent supporters are.
December 16, 2021 · Updated: January 4, 2022; 14:50
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