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Austria and Russia - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism

Austrian President Tells Brussels: EU Force and Zelenskyy Speech Conform with Neutrality

At meetings between the EU leaders and Alexander Van der Bellen, the President spoke about Austria's role as a neutral state in military and political matters. He saw no difficulties in inviting the Ukrainian president to Austria or in participating in the EU armed forces. The need for new energy suppliers and the current refugee problem were also discussed.

March 24, 2022

The Impact of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on the Nuclear Talks in Vienna

In the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine new issues emerged in the negotiations for the revival of the JCPOA in Vienna. For the West and Iran, it is important to re-establish the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, despite Russia's diversionary tactics.

March 24, 2022

OSCE Condemns Russian Aggression on Mariupol and Ukraine

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office Zbigniew Rau and Secretary-General Helga Maria Schmid condemned the ongoing violence that Russian forces committed in Ukraine and the city of Mariupol. Meanwhile Russia's ambassador to the United Nations has denied that Russia was involved in the attack on a theatre in besieged Mariupol.

March 23, 2022

The Battle For Mariupol: Why Does It Matter to Putin?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the military tactics are ravaging Ukraine. The Russian troops besiege Mariupol and are causing a humanitarian crisis. Mariupol is key for the Russian invasion and the advancing Russian military wants to seize the city at all costs.

March 23, 2022

Neutrality: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy May Now Be Able to Address the Austrian National Council After All

The ongoing debate on Austrian neutrality will maybe allow Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to speak to Austrian parliamentarians.

March 23, 2022

Putin's Aggression Against Ukraine as a Trigger for the Flare-up of the Austrian Neutrality Debate

Russia's fabricated pretext for war, Russian use of disinformation to distract and deflect responsibility and eventually Russia's invasion of Ukraine could become the turning point for Austria's security policy. Parliamentary groups discussed Austria's position in the field of tension between neutrality, NATO accession and the EU army.

March 23, 2022

Belgian Heads of State Welcomed Austrian President and First Lady

Alexander Van der Bellen is currently on a state visit to Belgium. Besides a reception with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde the program included talks on the war in Ukraine and high energy prices with senior Belgian politicians and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

March 23, 2022

Austrian Federal President: "We stand with Ukraine"

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen, as a special guest of honor, visited a charity event on the weekend and gave a speech about the current situation in Ukraine.

March 21, 2022

The Ukraine Invasion and India: Schallenberg in New Delhi

Foreign Minister Schallenberg visited India to hold talks in the capital New Delhi. In addition to other regional and international security policy topics of discussion, the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine will be the main topic.

March 21, 2022

Russo-Ukrainian War: To Date, 14,500 Refugees Have Registered in Austria

The terrible war in Ukraine has provided an uninterrupted stream of people seeking refuge in recent weeks. Austrian authorities are doing their best to help. Now the Austrian Ministry of the Interior has published new figures.

March 21, 2022

Western Balkans Trip for New Momentum against Destabilization by Russia and China

The Balkans were plagued by war 30 years ago. When Yugoslavia collapsed, the first war in Europe after World War II occurred. A policy of stability in this region is particularly important, especially in the backdrop of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. Recently Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer as well as many other European politicians have traveled to the Balkan states to talk to the most important politicians and dignitaries. The EU and the U.S. have long been the central players in the Western Balkans and want to counter Russia's and China's influence in the region.

March 18, 2022

Imran Khan Meets With Alexander Schallenberg in Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan meets Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Pakistan. In addition to talks about Afghanistan, which is controlled by the Taliban, the war in Ukraine was also on the agenda. Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world that have so far not voiced criticism of Russia's crimes in Ukraine.

March 18, 2022

Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants Still Under Control of Russian Forces But Safety Systems Fully Functional IAEA Says

Ukraine's Nuclear Power Plants Zaporizhzhya and Chernobyl are still under Russian control, but regulator said, that the Ukrainian staff continued to operate the plants. In the case of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, staff have not been able to rotate for more than three weeks.

March 18, 2022

Austria's Raiffeisen Bank Now Considering Russia and Ukraine Exit After All

Raiffeisen Bank International is considering withdrawing from Russia. The enormous civil suffering in Ukraine caused by Russia's war of aggression had led the management to this decision. This step is not taken easy, since Russia counts as one of the key areas of the Austrian bank.

March 18, 2022

Austrian Parliamentary Delegation Visits India, which Maintains a Special Strategic Partnership with Russia

India received an Austrian delegation to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. Among other things, the delegation discussed the conflict in Ukraine and the hesitant attitude of the Indian government, which has so far not openly opposed the Kremlin.

March 17, 2022

Putin's War Forces OMV to Make Most Fundamental Strategic Shift in Its History

Russia's aggression toward Ukraine is forcing OMV, the Austrian oil, gas and petrochemical group to take drastic measures. The company's management decided to stop all investment activities in Russia and to rely on alternative suppliers in the future. OMV thus joins many other companies that are slowly turning their backs on the Russian market.

March 17, 2022

Ukrainian Ambassador in Vienna: "We need humanitarian assistance"

The war in Ukraine has been going on for several weeks and the humanitarian crisis is a new challenge for Europe. The Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria, Vasyl Khymynets, met with the Governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, and Provincial Councilor Martin Eichtinger for talks at the Palais Niederösterreich in Vienna. The discussion focused on Russia's violations of human rights and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

March 17, 2022

How Austria Is Supporting Ukrainian Refugees: Right of Residence and Relief Supplies

In Europe, an ever-increasing migration movement from Ukraine is becoming noticeable. The government of Austria decided to take several measures to help the fleeing people of Ukraine. Learn more about Austria's assistance.

March 16, 2022

Nuclear Safety and Security in Ukraine: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Largely Out of Danger Again

According to the Vienna-based Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has been reconnected to Ukraine's national power grid and no longer relies on emergency diesel generators. However, the nuclear plant and its employees have been in Russian control since it was captured by Russian units and continue to be cut off from the outside world.

March 16, 2022

Support for Refugee Women and Children in Response to Russian Aggression and Violation of International Law

The Commission on the Status of Women (CMS) is currently meeting in New York. The main focus this year is on the problems of Ukrainian women and girls who are fleeing from Russian aggression in Ukraine. Austria's Minister for Women's Affairs, Susanne Raab, condemns the Russian war of aggression in a statement of the EU ministers and demands an immediate withdrawal of the troops.

March 16, 2022

Russian Operations of Strabag: Haselsteiner Cancels Syndicate Agreement with Holding Company of Oligarch Oleg Deripaska

Recently, the Haselsteiner Family Private Foundation informed the Strabag Board of Directors that it has terminated a syndicate agreement between the main shareholders. Previously, several attempts to buy up all the shares of the major Russian investor Oleg Deripaska failed.

March 15, 2022

OMV Subsidiary Borealis Declines Offer from Russia’s EuroChem for Fertilizer Business

The planned sale of the Linz-based fertilizer division of OMV chemicals subsidiary Borealis to Russian-Swiss group EuroChem has been canceled. According to a press release, Borealis has decided to reject EuroChem's offer.

March 14, 2022

Dr. Erhard Busek Deceased: Austria Loses Staunch European and Great Expert on Eastern Europe

The former chairman of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and Eastern Europe expert Eduard Busek has died at the age of 80. He left his mark on Austrian politics and was considered a great advocate of a common Europe.

March 14, 2022

Olaf Scholz Met Van der Bellen: "One Must Remain in Dialogue with Putin"

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Austrian President Van der Bellen exchanged views on bilateral and European policy issues and the Russian attack on Ukraine.

March 14, 2022

Energy Supply: Liquefied Natural Gas from Qatar, Instead of Pipeline Gas from Russia

Chancellor Nehammer visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar with the intention of lessening Austria's dependency on Russian natural gas for energy. Read about the chancellor's visit and how liquefied natural gas could help solve this issue.

March 11, 2022

Austrian Minister for Europe for Reassessment of EU Defense and Security Architecture

At a meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in France, the Austrian Minister for Europe, Karoline Edtstadler, called for a reassessment of the EU Defense and Security Architecture. Read what Minister Edtstadler said about this and Ukrainian accession to the EU.

March 10, 2022

Schallenberg in Brussels Condemns Playing with Nuclear Fire

At a special meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Foreign Minister Schallenberg condemned the Russian shelling of a nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Read more about this special meeting and what was discussed there.

March 10, 2022

War in Ukraine: Athens Seeks Talks in Vienna

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias visited Vienna to discuss the intensifying war between Russia and Ukraine. Read about his meetings with various officials and watch the joint press conference with Foreign Minister Schallenberg.

March 10, 2022

How Russian State-Controlled Media Use Disinformation Campaigns to Influence Democratic Processes in Austria and Beyond

Russia uses its state-controlled media outlets to help push disinformation campaigns in Austria and around the world. Read how the Kremlin spreads disinformation through the media.

March 9, 2022

How Gazprom Helps the Kremlin to Manipulate Austria

The Russian government uses the majority state-owned energy corporation Gazprom to exploit Europe's dependency on Russian natural gas, and Austria is no exception. Read how the Kremlin uses Gazprom to influence Austria.

March 8, 2022

Asset Management: Impact of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on Stock Markets

By invading Ukraine, Russia has created a humanitarian crisis. At a time when heart-wrenching news footage reminds us daily that innocent people are losing their lives, discussing the market implications of such devastation can feel unseemly. The most important thing investors can do during a crisis is to simply not panic. Stock market history supports this assertion. The author examined the major geopolitical events since World War II and found that on average the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 16.40% higher 1 year later and 32.7% higher 2 years later.

March 8, 2022

How Many Refugees Have Fled Ukraine to Austria?

Austria will help its neighboring countries cope with the expected influx from Ukraine following the Russian military attack by accepting Ukrainian refugees despite its generally restrictive migration policy. Please find below questions and answers regarding entry and stay of Ukrainian citizens in Austria.

March 3, 2022

Ukraine Invasion: Austria Demands Compliance with Humanitarian Law and the Securing of Civilian Corridors

Austria is demanding that Russia comply with humanitarian law and create secure corridors for civilians to leave Ukraine and international organizations to send aid in. Read what Chancellor Nehammer and Foreign Minister Schallenberg said about this and watch their joint press conference.

March 3, 2022

IAEA Board of Governors Emergency Meeting Condemns Unprovoked Attacks Against Ukraine

At an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, the Board condemned the unprovoked attacks against Ukraine and discussed the status of the nuclear safeguards in Ukraine. Read more about the Board's meeting and the current situation regarding Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

March 3, 2022

UNHCR: One Million Refugees Have Fled Ukraine in a Week

In just seven days, one million people have fled Ukraine, uprooted by this senseless war.

March 3, 2022

Russia-friendly Austria Breaks with its Neutrality: "Enough is Enough"

Neutral and traditionally pro-Russia Austria is forced to break with its neutrality and take a clear stand against Putin because of his war of aggression against Ukraine.

March 2, 2022

UN General Assembly: 141 States Condemn Russian Aggression and Rights Violations against Ukraine

By a large majority, the UN General Assembly has condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine. 141 states voted in favor of a resolution to this effect and demanded Russia's withdrawal from the country. Austria was represented by its UN Ambassador.

March 2, 2022

Ukraine Invasion: Austria Also Possesses a "Willkommenskultur"

Austria is already preparing to receive Ukrainian refugees fleeing the violent Russian invasion of Ukraine. The people of Austria have a chance to once again display their "Wilkommenskultur" ("welcoming culture") and welcome those fleeing the brutal conflict into their country with open arms. Read what Vienna is currently doing to help welcome the refugees.

March 2, 2022

Austria's UN Ambassador Questions Whether the System of Veto Powers Is Still Capable of Governing Relationships

At an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly, Austrian Ambassador to the UN, Alexander Marschik, questioned whether the veto power provided to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council undermines its ability to uphold international law. Read more of what the ambassador said regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

March 1, 2022

Attack on Ukraine: Austria Extends Aid from Foreign Disaster Fund to a Total of 17.5 Million Euros

The Austrian government has approved another 15 million euros in humanitarian aid for Ukraine from the Foreign Disaster Fund. Read about how the money will be allocated and the daunting projections that suggest Ukraine will almost certainly need more foreign aid.

March 1, 2022

Belarusian Dictator Lukashenko May Rule Until 2035

Almost unnoticed in the background of the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has had expanded power confirmed in a referendum. The constitutional amendment is intended to allow him additional terms in office and guarantee him lifelong immunity from prosecution after a possible retirement from politics.

March 1, 2022

IAEA Warns of Nuclear Accidents During Ukraine Invasion

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), four nuclear facilities of the country have already been affected by the Russian attacks in Ukraine. Read what the incidents are and what the current status of the damage is.

March 1, 2022

Russo-Ukrainian War: Enhancement of Austria's Humanitarian and Logistical Assistance to Ukraine

The conclusion of the meeting of the Austrian National Security Council on the current situation in Ukraine is to prepare Austria in the best possible way for any consequences of the nuclear threat.

February 28, 2022

Russia's Sberbank with European Headquarters in Vienna under Pressure

The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) has announced a moratorium on Sberbank Europe AG, a European subsidiary of the Russian state-owned Sberbank. Read what this means for Sberbank Europe and its customers.

February 28, 2022

Russo-Ukrainian War: First Effects of Western Sanctions on Russian Economy

The Russian economy is already beginning to feel the effects of the Western sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. Read what effects the sanctions are having on the economy.

February 28, 2022

Russo-Ukrainian War: Already 100,000 People on the Run, but Austria's Interior Ministry Expects No Large Movement of Ukrainians to Austria

Although already one day after the Russian attack on Ukraine, according to UN figures, more than 100,000 people out of the 44 million population are on the run, the "migration experts" of the Austrian Interior Ministry do not assume that there will be a large movement of Ukrainian citizens to Austria. On the other hand, most EU countries are preparing for more refugees.

February 26, 2022

Austria Before the OSCE Council: "War Is Raging on the European Continent"

Foreign Minister Schallenberg addressed the OSCE Council and made an urgent appeal for Russia to halt its war on Ukraine and return to the negotiating table. Read what Schallenberg said about the intensifying conflict in Ukraine.

February 25, 2022

Russo-Ukrainian War: Austria Sticks to its Role as Bridge Builder

As the fighting between Russia and Ukraine is intensifying, Austria remains committed to trying to build bridges and encouraging dialogue between the two sides. Read about Chancellor Nehammer's intense phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his discussion about the conflict with Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder.

February 25, 2022

Putin's People in Austria and Beyond

Following Putin's invasion of eastern Ukraine with the aim of regaining former Soviet territory, two former European prime ministers from Italy and Finland have already resigned from the supervisory boards of two Russian companies. However, some Austrian and German politicians see no reason to resign their mandates. In the following some explanations why.

February 25, 2022 · Updated: February 25, 2022; 11:23

Ukrainian President to Austria's Chancellor: "Don't know how long Ukraine will exist"

The situation in Ukraine is highly dramatic, Austria's Chancellor Nehammer reported from a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The latter had requested to stand by his country, which was under attack by Russia.

February 25, 2022