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Russo-Ukrainian War

European Forum Wachau: Building a Resilient, Green, and Competitive Europe
The event under the general theme "Building a Resilient, Green and Competitive Europe" takes place for the 27th time. This year, the Europa Forum Wachau invited top-class guests to discuss the most important European issues. Among others also the topic of illegal migration, the war in Ukraine, and the Euro-integration of the Western Balkan states.
June 25, 2023

Mansion in Austrian Kitzbühel Bought by Sanctioned Russian Oligarch
Russian oligarch and confidant of President Vladimir Putin, Arkady Rotenberg, is said to have financed a house in Kitzbühel, where Putin's daughter is also said to have spent time, according to media reports.
June 21, 2023

Austrian National Bank Publishes Macroeconomic Forecast for 2023 to 2025
According to the published forecast of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB), the Austrian economy is expected to pick up speed in the second half of 2023, with GDP growing by 0.5 percent in 2023. Accelerated growth of 1.7 percent is forecast for 2024. Although HICP inflation will fall steadily after the highs at the beginning of the year, it will still be above average at 2.9 percent in 2025.
June 18, 2023


Austria Supports IAEA with 1 Million Euro for Nuclear Safety in Ukraine

Austria has decided to support nuclear safety efforts in Ukraine by providing one million euros to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
June 11, 2023

Official Visit of the Czech President Petr Pavel to Austria
During his official visit to Vienna, the newly elected President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, met with Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen. Petr Pavel, once the highest NATO military officer, is a staunch supporter of Ukraine. But he is also keen on cooperation with neutral Austria.
June 7, 2023


OSCE Chairman Urges De-escalation and Emphasizes Youth Engagement During Visit to Kosovo and Serbia

The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Bujar Osmani, recently concluded a productive one-day visit to Kosovo. Chairman Osmani also visited Serbia's capital Belgrade a day earlier. During his visits, he engaged in high-level meetings with key political figures.
May 31, 2023

Peter Sloterdijk on Europe at the Austrian Integration Fund Pentecostal Dialogue
As part of the 11th Styrian "Geist & Gegenwart" Pentecost Dialogue held at Seggau Castle, the renowned German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk appeared as a guest speaker of the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF). Sloterdijk elaborated in the panel on Europe, Ukraine, and the challenges of nation-states.
May 31, 2023

Austria Finances Demining Equipment for Ukraine Worth 2 Million Euros
After several weeks of heated discussion on how Austria should continue to support Ukraine, the Austrian government decided to provide financial assistance to Ukraine for 2 million euros for demining.
May 30, 2023


EU Parliament President Metsola Visited Vienna

The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola was on several working visits and events in an EU Parliament President addressed the members of the Austrian National Council. It also came to the working meeting with Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg and the opening of the interactive exhibition "Experience Europe" in Vienna.
May 29, 2023


Council of Europe Summit Against Russian Aggression in Ukraine: Van der Bellen Holds Speech

The first Council of Europe summit in nearly 20 years took place, with some 30 European leaders traveling to Reykjavik, Iceland. The summit was all about support for Ukraine and finding solutions to hold Russia accountable for its war of aggression.
May 23, 2023


European Ministers of Serbia and Austria Emphasize the Importance of Relations

During her working visit to Belgrade, Austrian Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and her ministerial colleague Tanja Miščević.
May 22, 2023

High-Level Meeting Between US and China Held in Vienna
After a prolonged period of silence between the US and China, a high-level meeting took place amid significant tensions. President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, met with China's top foreign policy official, Wang Yi, in Vienna.
May 15, 2023


Ukrainian Oligarch Dmytro Firtash Hiding in Vienna Faces Gas Purchase Manipulation Case

Dmytro Firtash, an oligarch who has lived in Vienna since 2014 and is linked to a U.S. extradition request, and eight other managers of gas companies in Ukraine controlled by Firtash have now been officially declared defendants in a criminal case.
May 15, 2023

Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg Attends Gymnich Meeting
At the Gymnich meeting in Stockholm in May 2023, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg focused on the discussion of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the EU's relations with China.
May 15, 2023


Bulgaria Assumes FSC Chairmanship Amid Ongoing Concerns Over Russia's War Against Ukraine

In turbulent times, Bulgaria has taken over the charir of the Forum of Security Cooperationa (FSC) at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), succeeding Bosnia and Herzegovina.
May 14, 2023
Time to Decide Europe Summit to Address Urgent Questions Facing the Continent
The Time to Decide Europe Summit, a one-day conference co-organized by ERSTE Foundation and the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM), is set to address the most pressing dilemmas posed by the war in Europe. The conference will bring together prominent thinkers, political scientists, and economists to untangle the urgent questions facing Europe today and offer insights into the future of the continent.
May 11, 2023

Austrian and Costa Rican Foreign Ministers Celebrate 150 Years of Diplomatic Relations
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, Dr. Arnoldo André, met with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, to discuss a broad agenda of bilateral and multilateral issues in the context of the celebration of 150 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.
May 9, 2023


Ukrainian Human Rights Lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk Delivers Speech to Europe at Wiener Festwochen 2023

The Wiener Festwochen program begins with the Speech to Europe 2023, featuring Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
May 9, 2023

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Austrian Counterpart Emphasize Close Relations and Cooperation Potential
Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias visited his Austrian counterpart for working talks in Vienna. Overall, the meeting between Greece and Austria showcased their strong cooperation and commitment to international law and cooperation in various fields.
May 5, 2023


OSCE Experts Present Findings on Child Abductions in Ukraine to Permanent Council

A recent report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) demonstrates that practices that violate international humanitarian law have been used in the abduction of Ukrainian children to areas controlled by Russia, or even as far away as Russia itself. OSCE experts were tasked to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding possible violations of OSCE commitments and possible cases of war crimes.
May 4, 2023


Austrian President Van der Bellen Welcomes Slovenia's First Female President on Inaugural Visit

The new Slovenian President, Nataša Pirc Musar, paid her inaugural visit to Vienna, where she was welcomed by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen with military honors. "It is an honor to receive today in Vienna the first female head of state of Slovenia," Van der Bellen said.
May 2, 2023


German-Speaking Foreign Ministers Discuss International Trouble Spots in Salzburg

The German-speaking Foreign Ministers Alexander Schallenberg from Austria, Annalena Baerbock from Germany, Dominique Hasler from Liechtenstein, Jean Asselborn from Luxembourg, and Ignazio Cassis from Switzerland met to discuss global and European challenges.
May 2, 2023

Trilateral Working Meeting Between Foreign Ministers of Slovenia, Croatia and Austria
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met his counterpart from Croatia Gordan Radman and his counterpart from Slovenia Tanja Fajon in Rijeka, Croatia, for a trilateral working meeting. The talks focused on the economic interdependence of the three countries and good neighborly relations, but Schallenberg blocked Slovenian wishes to open borders.
April 26, 2023


Austria Foreign Minister Schallenberg Travelled to Luxembourg for EU Meeting

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Luxembourg for the Foreign Affairs Council. The meeting of EU foreign ministers focused on the fierce fighting in Sudan, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its global impact, and the situation in Iran.
April 25, 2023

Austria May Step In to Chair the OSCE According to the Media
Russia has been opposing Estonia's leadership of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2024 for months. Citing diplomatic circles, it was reported that the Austrian Foreign Ministry (BMEIA) was considering stepping in for the rotating chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna.
April 24, 2023

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Pejčinović Burić visiting Vienna
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met the Austrian President and key ministers and personalities during an official visit to Austria. Among others, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg received the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić for a working meeting in Vienna.
April 23, 2023


Polish President Says that We Should Not Be Afraid of Russia

Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna. There he assured further military support for Ukraine
April 18, 2023


Minister Schallenberg Discussed Earthquake Aid and the Russian Aggression with Turkish Foreign Minister

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg welcomed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Vienna. Together they discussed – among other topics - the Russian aggression on Ukraine, and aid for the earthquake victims in Türkiye.
April 16, 2023


Putin Would Be Arrested If He Came to Austria, Says Minister Edtstadler

Austrian Europe and Constitution Minister Karoline Edtstadler said in an interview that if Putin would come to Austria, the country would fulfill its international obligation by arresting the Russian President.
April 11, 2023


EU Approves 2 Billion Euros in State Aid for Wien Energie

The European Commission has approved 2 Billion Euros in state aid for Austrian energy supplier Wien Energie. This was done to accelerate the energy transition and reduce fuel dependency in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war, according to the EU Commission.
April 5, 2023


Nehammer and Kogler Have Announced a New Security Strategy

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler have announced a new security strategy for Austria in „ZIB". Experts have been calling for a change in this regard for a long time.
April 4, 2023


Russia Must Be Held Accountable for Its War Crimes, Says Schallenberg

Exactly one year after the liberation of Bucha, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has spoken in a video statement at the Bucha Summit in Kyiv, condemning the massacres committed by the Russian Army.
April 3, 2023

IAEA Head Grossi is Concerned about the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again expressed concerns about the fighting around the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Zaporizhzhya. Head of IAEA Rafel Grossi holds on to the implementation of a security concept.
March 30, 2023

OSCE Will Investigate Allegations Against Russia on Child Abductions
The abduction of Ukrainian children in the wake of Russia's war of aggression is to be investigated within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
March 30, 2023


Austrian OMV Declares Exit from Russian Gas as "Extremely Difficult"

The CEO of the Austrian energy group OMV, Alfred Stern, currently sees hardly any possibility to get out of the Russian business with natural gas. He also sees no alternative to fossil fuels in the short term and talked about relations with Asia-Pacific.
March 28, 2023

President Van der Bellen Visited his Albanian Counterpart in Tirana
Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen started his official Western Balkans visits on Sunday. The first country he visited was Albania, where he met with his counterpart Bajram Begaj. They discussed the ongoing reforms in Albania and Austria supporting those reforms.
March 27, 2023


FPÖ-Uproar over Planed Zelenskyy Speech in the Austrian Parliament

A virtual speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled for March 30 in the Austrian parliament. In the run-up to the event, the Austrian party with good relations with the Kremlin, the FPÖ, has voiced sharp criticism.
March 26, 2023

Minister Schallenberg and his Serbian Counterpart Ivica Dacic Met in Vienna
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met with his Serbian counterpart in Vienna, where they discussed the relations between the countries and the normalization process between Serbia and Kosovo.
March 23, 2023


Austria Before Participation in European Initiative "Sky Shield"

Austria has taken a big step towards participating in the "Sky Shield" initiative, in other words, the joint planned air defense system of European countries. Austria is thus participating more strongly in an all-European defense.
March 21, 2023

Minister Schallenberg Reassured Support for Ukraine at EU Ministers Meeting
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg participated in a meeting of foreign Ministers of all European Union states. He reassured support for Ukraine and the Western Balkans was a subject of this meeting.
March 20, 2023
Justice Minister Zadic Welcomes the International Arrest Warrant against Putin
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an International arrest warrant against Russian president Vladimir Putin that Austrian Minister of Justice Alma Zadic has welcomed it.
March 19, 2023


Congo’s Foreign Minister Visited Vienna

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg welcomed his Congolese counterpart Jean-Claude Gakosso to a meeting in Vienna. They discussed the economic relations between the two countries and Congo’s security issues.
March 16, 2023


Minister Schallenberg Welcomed Bolivias Vice President David Choquehuanca

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has met with Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca. Together they talked about the good relations between the two countries and the consequences of the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
March 14, 2023

Foreign Minister Schallenberg and His Italian Counterpart Traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina where they talked to several representatives of the country about the EU support for the country's reform and its general path towards the EU.
March 13, 2023

Austrian Justice Minister Zadic Wants to Strengthen the International Criminal Court
EU justice ministers have met again in Brussels to discuss the legal consequences of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. Austria's Justice Minister Alma Zadic wants to strengthen the International Court of Justice in the fight against war crimes in the Ukraine war.
March 12, 2023


Secretary-General Tieffenthal Participated in the European Ministers Council

A Council Meeting between all Development Ministers of the European Nations took place in Stockholm. Secretary-General Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal represented Austria in the meeting, where they discussed global healthcare and the rebuilding of Ukraine.
March 9, 2023


Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen Met the Departing Czech President Milos Zeman

Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen made an Official visit to the Czech head of state, who is leaving office after two terms.
March 5, 2023

SOS Children’s Villages under Pressure for the Abduction of Ukrainian Children
Already last week, the internationally active aid organization SOS Children's Villages, founded in Austria, was confronted with accusations of being involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children to Russia.
March 2, 2023

Zaporizhzhya Power Plant Under Attack Says IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported attacks at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Several Detonations were heard near the power plant, which is worrying the Agency.
March 1, 2023


Ex-OMV Chief Doubts Policy Statements on Russian Gas Pullout

Russian gas supplies to Austria are currently causing discussions. While the Austrian government wants to do without gas supplies from Russia altogether by 2027, OMV refers to long-term contracts.
March 1, 2023