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Russia in Austria | Russians in Vienna | Bilateral Relations
Austria and Russia - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism
Media Freedom in Russia: OSCE Condemns Continued Persecution of Russian Journalists
Recently, critical journalists were persecuted and imprisoned in Russia as a common practice. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, strongly condemns the continued practice of judicial persecution, which is hampering access to information and media freedom in the Russian Federation. After the recent criminal and administrative charges against journalists and media workers, Ribeiro emphasized that judicial persecution should not be tolerated.
August 17, 2022
Vienna's Luxury Shops Struggle with the Loss of Russian Tourists
During the past two decades, Russian tourists with purchasing power have enriched the city centre's luxury shops, but since the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine, hardly anyone visits the Austrian capital. According to the latest statistics, fewer than one percent of tourists staying overnight in Vienna are Russians. Due to the loss of purchasing power, the tourism industry in Vienna suffers greatly.
August 15, 2022
New Dilemmas Around Zaporizhzya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine
The nuclear safety and security situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzya Nuclear Power Plant is getting more complicated since the shelling of the facility. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, will brief the United Nations Security Council about the nuclear safety situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzya Nuclear Power Plant.
August 10, 2022
What Happened to the Russian Sberbank in Vienna after the Invasion of Ukraine?
The Russian bank Sberbank is one of the largest in Europe and has been hit hard by the European Union sanctions triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. To find out what happened to its Vienna branch and whether it can continue to do business in Austria, read on.
August 10, 2022
Forgotten Russian Attack on Georgia: 14 Years After the August War
The 2008 Russo-Georgian War was a military conflict in the South Caucasus between Georgia on the one side and Russia and the internationally unrecognized Russian-backed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other. The Caucasus conflict had a major impact on the relationship between the EU and the USA and Russia. At the time, Russia seized the breakaway Georgian republics. 14 years later, Russia has attacked Ukraine and may have similar goals.
August 8, 2022
Hiroshima Memorial Day: Austria Advocates Nuclear Dismantlement
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has once again called on the major international powers to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The occasion was the anniversary of the nuclear weapons dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
August 5, 2022
Ukrainian Ambassador Criticises Austrian Police
The Ukrainian ambassador, Vasyl Khymynets, recently criticised the Austrian police. The police had previously held an internal training event on the subject of Ukraine. Among others, the "Coordination Council of the Organisation of Russian Compatriots" was invited to the event, which played down the war and spread "Russian propaganda". The Ukrainian Embassy is outraged. Read on if you want to learn more about this exciting topic!
August 3, 2022
Despite the Ukraine War: Raiffeisenbank International Doubles Group Result
In the first half of 2022, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), which is heavily active in Eastern Europe, achieved a significant profit despite the Ukrainian conflict. Its Bulgarian subsidiary was sold in June, which was a major contributing factor.
August 2, 2022
UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference in New York
The UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty tenth review conference is held in New York after a two-year delay caused by the CoV pandemic. Even before Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, nuclear disarmament had stalled. Now, reducing the nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons worldwide is becoming even more difficult.
August 1, 2022
Wirecard Scandal: New Indications for Marsalek's Stay in Moscow
Former Wirecard board member Jan Marsalek, who has been in hiding for two years, could be living in Moscow under the protection of Russian intelligence services.
July 26, 2022
IAEA Expresses Concern About Zaporizhzya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine
The situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in the Russian-occupied zone of Ukraine is increasingly worrying, according to recent reports. In order to avoid an accident that could endanger the health of the Ukrainian and other public, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has advised the utmost caution.
July 25, 2022
Joint Trip of Austrian and Czech Foreign Ministers to Ukraine
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Kyiv with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský. In addition to talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the program included visits to the Hostomel and Irpin war sites, which testify to the sheer brutality of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine.
July 21, 2022
Austrian Federal President: "We Must Not Allow Ourselves to Be Divided"
Austria's Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen addressed the current challenges and hardships in a gripping opening speech at the Bregenz Festival.
July 21, 2022
Germany and Austria Seek Stronger Cooperation on Energy Security
Germany and Austria, seeking closer cooperation between the two countries in the current energy crisis, signed a joint declaration this week to mitigate the looming energy crisis.
July 15, 2022
Austrian Ministers Visit Egypt on a Joint Trip
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner traveled together to Egypt, to strengthen the cooperation with the Arabic Republic and North Africa. The meetings focused on the war in Ukraine, its global consequences, illegal migration, combating human trafficking and human rights.
July 3, 2022
OSCE Announces Closure of Project Co-Ordinator in Ukraine
The office of the Project Coordinator in Ukraine, whose tasks include supporting Ukraine in its reform efforts, is being dismantled step by step, as the OSCE recently announced. The reason for this is that the OSCE Permanent Council was unable to reach a consensus on the extension of the mandate due to the Russian Federation.
July 1, 2022
Fear of Moldova Being Next on Russia's Hit List
The Russian Invasion of Ukraine is also frightening for other Eastern-European countries. One of them has its own troubles, with the gone rogue territory of Transnistria, highly influenced by the Kremlin, namely Moldova.
June 30, 2022
Russian Food Markets in Vienna Under Pressure
Specialty foods such as vodka, buckwheat, and chocolate are available in Vienna's Russian groceries. Since Moscow invaded Ukraine, Austrian-Russian traders have been worried about import difficulties and hostility.
June 28, 2022
Moody's Declares Russia in Default
The U.S. company Moody’s announced in New York that it was concerned with interest payments on two government bonds that had not been received by creditors even after a default period of 30 days had expired.
June 28, 2022
Austria has Frozen the Assets of Russian Oligarchs Worth 1.5 Billion Euros
The Austrian authorities have frozen the assets of 1.5 billion euros belonging to Russian oligarchs since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
June 26, 2022
Iran Nuclear Talks: Avoiding Sanctions - Lavrov in Tehran
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Iran for a visit. He first met with President Ebrahim Raisi in the capital Tehran and will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Iran Nuclear Talks will also play a significant role in Lavrov's visit since both countries are trying to find a way to avoid further sanctions by the West.
June 22, 2022
Austria Sees Potential EU Accession Status as a Historic Opportunity
Austria sees the EU Commission's proposal to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of EU accession candidates as a historic opportunity as a clear signal of the EU's strength. Nevertheless, Austria also has a responsibility towards the Western Balkans and should not ignore them. Read on if you want to learn more.
June 21, 2022
Three Seas Initiative in Riga for Common Ground against Russia
The Three Seas Initiative met in Riga. Austria and eleven other Central Eastern European countries accepted Ukraine as a member of the Three Seas Initiative at the Presidential Summit in Riga. Austrian President Van der Bellen traveled to Riga and appealed for unity against Russia.
June 20, 2022
OSCE Condemns Use of Sexual Violence as Weapon of War
Reports of sexual violence against women and girls in the Ukraine war have been circulating in the media for some time. Now OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid has spoken out and called for an immediate end to these crimes. Read on if you want to know more.
June 20, 2022
Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Demands Protection of European Values
The President of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, emphasized during a speech in the Austrian Parliament that Ukraine defends civilized Europe from Russia's imperialist aspirations and used the visit to promote Ukraine's accession to the EU. He also thanked Austria for its humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine in these difficult times.
June 15, 2022
IAEA Prepares Visit to Zaporizhzya Nuclear Power Plant Despite Russian Occupation and Opposition from Kyiv
The International Atomic Energy Agency prepares a visit to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in the Russian-occupied zone of Ukraine. While this in itself is a difficult undertaking because of the Russian occupation forces, Kyiv's defensiveness added to this, complicating the IAEA's efforts to assess and ensure the nuclear safety of Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
June 9, 2022
Austrian Ministry of Justice Wants Better European Cooperation in the Area of Justice
Justice and Home Affairs Ministers are discussing stricter environmental criminal law, better international cooperation on criminal offenses and Russia sanctions in the European Council. The Austrian Ministry of Justice under Alma Zadic welcomes stricter prosecution of environmental crimes and a united effort to sanction Russian oligarchs.
June 9, 2022
Human Rights Violations in the Ukraine Conflict: "Western Values Under Pressure"
The Covid-19 crisis and the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine have recently led to a worrying increase in human rights violations. The human rights situation in Ukraine, as well as in the rest of the world, was recently the focus of the Human Rights Committee in the Austrian Parliament. Read on to learn more.
June 9, 2022
Austria to Support Prosecution of Alleged War Crimes in Ukraine
All parliamentary groups in the Human Rights Committee adopted a resolution calling for an investigation and prosecution of alleged war crimes committed by Russia during its aggression against Ukraine.
June 8, 2022
EU Oil Embargo: Little Impact on Austria's Economy Expected
The planned EU embargo on Russian oil in response to the war of aggression in Ukraine will have far-reaching consequences for Europe. This is also the case for Austria. In a report, the Austrian National Bank examines the impact on the Austrian economy and forecasts comparatively mild effects. Nevertheless, the embargo conceals a number of risks that could also have a serious impact on Austria.
June 8, 2022
Austria Confirms Poland's Role in Aid to Ukraine
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg visited the Polish capital Warsaw for a working visit. There, Foreign Minister Schallenberg explained that Poland is the hub for Ukraine's assistance.
June 7, 2022
Trilateral Presidential Meeting Between the Presidents of Austria, Croatia and Slovenia
Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen met with his counterparts from Croatia and Slovenia, Zoran Milanovic and Borut Pahor, in Croatia for the traditional triennial meeting. The focus is on the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans, as well as the impact of the Russian war in Ukraine.
June 5, 2022
Belarusian Opposition Leader Tsikhanouskaya Met Foreign Minister Schallenberg in Vienna
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met Foreign Minister Schallenberg in Vienna at the Austrian Foreign Ministry. The meeting focused on the current state of politics in Belarus and Russia.
June 2, 2022
OPEC Considers Possible Exclusion of Russia From Oil Production Agreement
OPEC countries are apparently considering the exclusion of non-OPEC member Russia from the concluded oil production agreement. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, which cites statements from insider circles, other OPEC countries could step in to meet production targets following Russia's exclusion.
June 1, 2022
Dignitaries From Vienna in Davos: Recap of the World Economic Forum 2022
The World Economic Forum (WEF) took place and some dignitaries from Vienna attended the meeting in Davos. Read more about the World Economic Forum in Davos in the Recap.
May 31, 2022
Austria Against Gas Embargo
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Austria are against a gas embargo and Chancellor Nehammer emphasized that a gas embargo will not be part of further sanctions.
May 31, 2022
Think Tank: Concerns About EU Sanctions Against Russian Oil and Gas
For some time now, the business community has been complaining about the lack of information on how gas and oil will be distributed sensibly in the event of a supply freeze from Russia. The Austrian Economic Research Institute (WIFO) is also concerned about the future of the energy supply and discusses possible solutions.
May 29, 2022
Austrian Chancellor Had a Phonecall With Putin
Chancellor Karl Nehammer spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine. Specifically, it was about "green corridors" and the exchange of prisoners. The phone call was very intense. The focus was on issues of humanitarian aid, food security and prisoner exchange. Austria wants to mediate between Moscow and the West.
May 29, 2022
OSCE Condemns Intimidation and Detention of OSCE Staff in Donetsk and Luhansk
The OSCE recently condemned the ongoing allegations against the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), who are currently in Russian custody. The OSCE called for the immediate release of the four national mission members detained in Donetsk and Luhansk.
May 27, 2022
Foreign Policy Committees of the Austrian Parliament and the Ukrainian Parliament Discuss Situation in Ukraine
Members of the Austrian Parliament exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine with representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament.
May 23, 2022
Conference On The Future of the EU and Eastern Europe By ERSTE Foundation and IWM
In cooperation with the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM), ERSTE Foundation is organizing the Time To Decide Europe Summit 2022 on the future of the EU, Ukraine, Russia and the Western Balkans. More than 20 leading European intellectuals will develop theses and solutions for Europe, the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Russia.
May 22, 2022
EU Supports Ukraine With Substantial Financial Aid
The second tranche of the EU macro-financial assistance to Ukraine has just been disbursed. The total of €600 million is intended to help cover the acute financing gaps in Ukraine, which is suffering severely from the consequences of the Russian war of aggression. The assistance is intended to improve Ukraine's macroeconomic stability and help keep state agencies functioning during this critical period.
May 20, 2022
Austrian Exit From Russian Gas Possible: "Major Effort Necessary"
The exit from oil and gas supplies from Russia, which has been much called for at both national and international level, has been occupying the EU and also the Austrian government for weeks. Now the Austrian Energy Minister has presented a plan on how this planned phase-out can be achieved by 2027 and what concrete measures need to be taken to achieve it.
May 19, 2022
Finland and Sweden Submit Applications to Join NATO
With Russia posing a threat to Finland and Sweden through its attack on Ukraine, both countries decided to join NATO. The ambassadors of Finland and Sweden handed over the relevant documents to NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg this morning.
May 18, 2022
Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting: OSCE Emphasizes Importance of Key Principles of Democracy
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is organizing the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting, emphasizing the importance of democratic principles, human rights and independent media work and how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is threatening these principles in Europe.
May 17, 2022
Russia and Allies Held Summit in Moscow
The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) held a meeting in Moscow to strengthen Russia's alliance with military partners like Belarus, Kazahkstan, Armenia, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and to condemn the West. The CSTO and its Collective Security Council meeting were held in honor of the 30th anniversary of the treaty and the 20th anniversary of the organization.
May 17, 2022
How the People’s Republic of China Leverages Its Membership in Multilateral Organizations to Advance Its Geopolitical Interests
Without question, China has become a global superpower and is successfully expanding its influence around the world. While there are many factors that have contributed to this success, China’s utilization of multilateral organizations to shape the international system to its liking cannot be discounted. Read how China has leveraged its membership in multilateral organizations to advance its own geopolitical interests.
May 17, 2022
Together With Sweden and Finland: How likely is Austria to Join NATO?
Finland and Sweden have decided to make an official application to join NATO. Stimulated by the ambitions of Finland and Sweden, the question arises: Will Austria also consider this step soon? Probably not if you ask Austrian politicians and people. A brief analysis.
May 16, 2022
Pro-Russian Authorities in Kherson Want to Ask Russia For Annexation
Russia accomplished in its war efforts in Ukraine to occupy Kherson. The pro-Russian authorities, installed by the Kremlin, in occupied Kherson plan to ask for the southern Ukrainian region's incorporation into Russia.
May 11, 2022
Czech Republic Replaces Russia In UN Human Rights Council
Following Russia's departure from the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Czech Republic has been elected to the body by the UN General Assembly.
May 10, 2022
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