Relationship dossier
Austria
Belarus
Relationship assessment
Austria–Belarus relations are strained by Austria’s support for EU sanctions and Belarusian countermeasures.
Austria toward Belarus
-40Austria has supported EU sanctions against Belarus following the disputed 2020 presidential election and the Belarusian government's repression of opposition and civil society.
Belarus toward Austria
-25Belarus has responded to EU sanctions with countermeasures affecting EU member states, including Austria. The extent of their direct bilateral impact is unclear.
Overall relationship
-35The relationship is shaped chiefly by Austria’s participation in EU sanctions against Belarus and Belarusian countermeasures against EU member states. The resulting political and economic friction outweighs the limited information available about direct bilateral cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Austria has supported European Union sanctions against Belarus following the disputed 2020 presidential election and subsequent repression. Belarus responded to EU measures with countermeasures affecting EU member states. These policies make the relationship substantially strained, although the scope of direct bilateral cooperation and the implementation of the measures in Austria–Belarus relations are unclear.
Areas of tension
- EU sanctions on Belarus following the 2020 presidential election and repression.
- Belarusian countermeasures in response to EU sanctions.
Key developments
Austria supported EU sanctions imposed on Belarus following the disputed presidential election and subsequent repression.
Belarus adopted countermeasures in response to EU sanctions, affecting EU member states.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of direct bilateral cooperation beyond EU-level policy is unclear.
- The implementation and bilateral effects of Belarusian countermeasures on EU member states are unclear.