Austria continues to be viewed predominantly positively by Ukrainians: in August 2026, about 52.7% of respondents expressed a positive attitude toward the country, while only 2.7% expressed a negative one. At the same time, 41.7% of those surveyed hold a neutral position, which remains a distinctive feature of perceptions of Austria, according to the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
According to the results of the August survey, 15.3% of Ukrainians have a completely positive attitude toward Austria, and 37.4% have a mostly positive attitude. A neutral response was chosen by 41.7% of respondents. 2.3% view the country mostly negatively, only 0.4% view it entirely negatively, and another 2.9% were undecided.
Thus, the balance of positive and negative assessments, when rounded, stands at approximately plus 50 percentage points. There are nearly 20 times as many positive responses as negative ones; however, Austria differs from a number of other Western European countries in having a significantly higher proportion of neutral attitudes.
Compared to March 2026, the proportion of positive assessments has decreased slightly. In the previous survey wave, 17.5% of respondents had a completely positive attitude toward Austria, and 38.5% had a mostly positive attitude, meaning the combined positive rating was about 55.9%. A neutral stance was held by 40.3% of respondents, while about 2.6% expressed a negative attitude.
Thus, over the course of five months, the share of positive assessments decreased by approximately 3.2 percentage points—to 52.7%. The share of negative assessments remained virtually unchanged—about 2.6% in March compared to 2.7% in August—while the neutral segment increased by 1.4 percentage points. The most notable decline was in the share of entirely positive responses—from 17.5% to 15.3%.
This pattern indicates that the slight weakening of the positive rating is not accompanied by a shift toward a negative attitude among a significant portion of respondents. A neutral stance remains the primary alternative to a positive assessment of Austria.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, when commenting on Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Austria, previously highlighted precisely this combination of a positive image of the country with a large neutral group.
“Austria is traditionally perceived by Ukrainians as a European country with high social standards, a rich cultural heritage, and a stable political system. Although Austria is not Ukraine’s main partner in foreign policy, the overall level of favorability remains positive,” Pozniy noted.
The current wave of the survey generally confirms this assessment: the negative segment remains very small, and changes are occurring primarily among positive and neutral responses. More than nine out of ten respondents view Austria positively or neutrally.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. The previous survey wave in March also included 800 respondents; the sample was representative by age, gender, and region, with a maximum theoretical margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points for indicators at the 50% confidence level.
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According to Experts Club, France and the Netherlands have the highest share of positive attitudes among Ukrainians among the Western European countries included in the study — 72.8% and 71.2%, respectively. Germany is viewed positively by 69.9% of respondents, and Switzerland by 66.9%. These findings come from the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, reports the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
According to the results of the August survey, 22.5% of respondents have a neutral attitude toward France, 3.7% have a negative attitude, and another 1% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 69.1 percentage points, compared to 69.9 percentage points in March 2026 and 71 percentage points in August 2025.
For the Netherlands, the balance of positive and negative attitudes stands at 69.6 percentage points. Specifically, 71.2% of respondents view the country positively, 26.4% neutrally, and only 1.6% negatively. In March 2026, the balance was slightly higher—71.5 percentage points—while in August 2025 it stood at 61 percentage points.
69.9% of Ukrainians view Germany positively, 23.5% neutrally, and 5.5% negatively. Its net balance fell to 64.4 percentage points, compared to 73.9 percentage points in March and 72.7 percentage points in August of last year. Thus, among the six Western European countries surveyed, Germany showed the most significant decline in this indicator between March and August 2026.
Switzerland is viewed positively by 66.9% of respondents, negatively by only 1.4%, and 29.7% hold a neutral view. The balance stands at 65.5 percentage points, compared to 67.1 percentage points in March.
Belgium is the only country in this group where the balance increased in August compared to March—from 56.4 to 58.5 percentage points. 59.9% of respondents view the country positively, 36% neutrally, and 1.4% negatively. In August 2025, the balance stood at 54.4 percentage points
Austria received the lowest share of positive responses among the Western European countries surveyed—52.6%. At the same time, only 2.7% of Ukrainians view it negatively, while 41.7% chose a neutral response. The balance stands at 49.9 percentage points, compared to 53.3 percentage points in March 2026 and 44 percentage points in August 2025. Overall, the data indicate that the lower levels of positive attitudes toward Belgium and Austria are primarily due to a higher proportion of neutral, rather than negative, assessments.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the importance of systematic communication between foreign partners and Ukrainian society.
“The first recommendation is to regularly showcase concrete achievements and specific actions. The second is to be open to questions and inquiries from the media and the public,” Urakin noted.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, for his part, drew attention to the link between public awareness and the practical development of bilateral cooperation.
“We should focus not only on raising general awareness. We need to expand cooperation with countries where we can achieve a positive balance,” Pozniy noted.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. According to the organizers, the sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region; the maximum theoretical statistical margin of error at a 95% confidence level is 3.5%. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
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More than 400 Ukrainian children, mostly from Ukraine’s frontline regions, had the opportunity to participate in a health and summer vacation program in Austria with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine and Austrian partners.
This was reported by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Austria.
The programs for children were organized in cooperation with the federal states of Austria and with the direct participation of Austrian civil society organizations.
“One of the Embassy’s key priorities is to create opportunities for Ukrainian children to receive health treatment and enjoy a vacation,” the diplomatic mission noted.
In total, more than 400 Ukrainian children took advantage of the opportunity to vacation in Austria during the summer. The organizers focused primarily on children from regions located near the front lines that are regularly subjected to Russian shelling.
The embassy expressed gratitude to the federal states, civil society organizations, and other Austrian partners who contributed to the implementation of the programs.
“We thank everyone who participated and gave our children the opportunity to experience the joy of childhood. We hope for continued support in the future,” the statement reads.
Organizing recreational and health programs for Ukrainian children abroad has become one of the areas of Ukraine’s humanitarian cooperation with European countries since the start of the full-scale war. Such programs are primarily aimed at children from frontline regions and areas affected by hostilities.
Original source: Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Austria.
Austria’s residential real estate market has begun to grow again after a prolonged period of falling prices, according to data from Statistik Austria.
According to the statistical office, in 2025, prices for houses and apartments in Austria rose by an average of 2.6% after falling by 2.6% in 2024 and by 2.3% in 2023. Thus, the market showed positive annual growth for the first time in two years.
The recovery accelerated in the second half of 2025. In the fourth quarter, housing prices rose by 3.5% year-over-year and by 0.8% compared to the previous quarter. New housing prices increased by 3.1% over the year, while existing housing prices rose by 3.6%.
The return to growth is linked to the gradual stabilization of the mortgage market, reduced uncertainty following a period of high interest rates, and a decline in new construction supply. After a sharp rise in borrowing costs in 2022–2024, some buyers postponed their purchases, but demand began to gradually return in 2025.
However, the recovery remains highly uneven. According to Global Property Guide estimates, prices continued to decline in some regions, particularly in expensive Alpine and metropolitan areas. In Vienna, the average property price in 2025 was estimated at approximately €779,000, but the annual trend was negative—about -6.6%. In Tyrol, the decline was estimated at -13.7%, and in Salzburg, at -9.1%. At the same time, Carinthia, Styria, and Upper Austria showed growth.
For buyers, this means that the Austrian market is no longer in a phase of widespread decline, but has not yet returned to its previous overheated growth. Location, property quality, energy efficiency, and access to financing have become more important than the expectation of automatic real estate price increases.
Austria’s residential real estate market has returned to growth after a prolonged period of price declines, according to data from Statistik Austria.
According to the statistical agency, prices for houses and apartments in Austria rose by an average of 2.6% in 2025, following declines of 2.6% in 2024 and 2.3% in 2023. Thus, the market showed positive annual growth for the first time in two years.
The recovery accelerated in the second half of 2025. In the fourth quarter, housing prices rose by 3.5% year-over-year and by 0.8% compared to the previous quarter. New housing prices increased by 3.1% over the year, while existing housing prices rose by 3.6%.
The return to growth is linked to the gradual stabilization of the mortgage market, reduced uncertainty following a period of high interest rates, and a decline in new construction supply. After a sharp rise in borrowing costs in 2022–2024, some buyers postponed their purchases, but demand began to gradually return in 2025.
However, the recovery remains uneven. According to Global Property Guide estimates, prices continued to decline in certain regions, particularly in expensive Alpine and metropolitan locations. In Vienna, the average property price in 2025 was estimated at approximately EUR 779,000, but the annual trend was negative—around -6.6%. In Tyrol, the decline was estimated at -13.7%, and in Salzburg at -9.1%. At the same time, Carinthia, Styria, and Upper Austria showed growth.
For investors, Austria remains one of the most stable markets in Europe, but returns require more precise calculation. High prices in Vienna, Salzburg, and Tyrol limit the potential for rapid growth, while more affordable regions may appear more attractive against the backdrop of recovering demand.
A sociological survey conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center shows an overall positive trend in Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Austria. The share of positive assessments rose to 55.9% compared to 48.7% in August 2025. At the same time, the level of negative perception nearly halved—from 4.7% to 2.6%.
Despite this, a significant portion of respondents—40.3%—adopt a neutral stance. This distribution of responses indicates that for many Ukrainians, Austria remains a country without a clearly defined emotional image. At the same time, the positive segment is quite stable: 17.5% of respondents expressed a completely positive attitude, and another 38.5%—a mostly positive one.
Negative assessments remain minimal. The share of those who view Austria mostly negatively is 2.3%, and those who view it entirely negatively is only 0.2%. Another 1.2% of respondents were unable to decide on their position. This configuration of indicators suggests the absence of systematic negativity and, at the same time, a limited depth of positive perception.
The key factor in the dynamics of change is precisely the increase in positive sentiment. This may indicate a gradual strengthening of Austria’s presence in the Ukrainian information space or a clearer understanding of its role in the European context. At the same time, the persistence of a large share of neutral responses suggests that this process is not yet complete.
“The results regarding Austria clearly demonstrate how attitudes toward countries that are not at the center of Ukrainians’ daily attention are formed. We see a rise in positive sentiment, but at the same time, a significant proportion of neutral assessments remains, which indicates a lack of knowledge or experience in interaction. In such cases, the key factor becomes the country’s informational presence and clear signals regarding its role for Ukraine,” noted Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group.
Thus, Austria is currently perceived by Ukrainians more positively than negatively, though this perception has not yet taken on a clearly defined character. Further growth in positive assessments will largely depend on the extent to which the country is present in the Ukrainian public sphere and how clearly its role in the broader European context becomes understood.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Austria ranks 20th in total trade volume with Ukraine, which amounts to $1.33 billion. At the same time, imports from Austria exceed Ukrainian exports, resulting in a moderate trade deficit of over $200 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
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