Ambassador Ljubinski leaves Austria: What remains of the mission?

Ambassador Ljubinski leaves Austria: What remains of the mission?

Dmitri Ljubinski, the long-time ambassador of the Russian Federation to Austria, will end his position in Vienna in the next few weeks. The announcement of the impending dismissal was made via a Facebook publication on Thursday. No successor has yet been announced, and Russia has not made a request for a new ambassador oe24 reported.

Appointed by President Putin on August 10, 2015, Lyubinski has seen both broad bilateral opportunities and dramatic limitations imposed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, during his nearly decade in office in Vienna. Since then, Lyubinski and his fellow diplomats have been largely excluded from official Austrian events, which has strained diplomacy between the two countries. What was particularly noticeable was the lack of presence of Austrian representatives at a reception for “Russia Day”, where only the entrepreneur Siegfried Wolf was present.

Diplomatic effects and criticism

Ljubinski told the press that his time in Austria was marked by “many years that were not easy”. He particularly highlighted initiatives relating to the Great Patriotic War as an achievement. Nevertheless, he complained about the negative reporting in the Austrian media, which, in his opinion, paints a distorted picture of Russia. Ljubinski also criticized Austria's neutrality. He noted that there was a lack of an agenda for serious dialogue and pointed out that the local political leadership had damaged Vienna's diplomatic tradition.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian ambassador to Austria, Vasyl Khymynets, has described the situation in Ukraine as brutal and genocidal. He emphasizes that peace is only possible if Russia stops its military activities. How today reported, criticized Khymynet's peace proposals, which are formulated without Ukraine, and described NATO membership as the most effective path for peace and security in Europe. The threat from Russia is a central issue that calls into question the contemporary relevance of Austrian neutrality.

Austria's problematic relations with Russia

In the past, Austria has often acted as a neutral mediator in international conflicts, but the current geopolitical situation is putting this neutrality to the test. The dependence on Russian gas imports, which despite international criticism still make up two thirds of Austria's gas supply, is another explosive issue. Former OMV boss Gerhard Roiss criticized this dependence and the long gas supply contracts until 2040.

Some Austrian companies continue to operate in Russia, fueling the ongoing discussion about Austrian-Russian relations. The Austrian-Russian Friendship Society remains active, while the FPÖ, a party with traditionally good relations with Russia, continues to submit Russia-friendly proposals to the National Council. Media coverage of the Ukrainian war, particularly by the Kronen Zeitung and the ORF, is also criticized as it often spreads pro-Russian narratives, such as taz notes.

While Austria's humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which has amounted to around 750 million euros since the start of the war, is recognized, it is viewed as inadequate by international standards. Chancellor Karl Nehammer has reaffirmed Austria's neutrality, but there are no signs of a realignment or withdrawal of existing political relations with Russia.