Former Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl said she receives a salary in rubles while in Russia. She raised this point in an interview, noting that the currency she earns in Moscow is rubles, a detail she watches closely as exchange rates between the dollar and the euro fluctuate. The conversation touched on how such financial arrangements interact with her past roles and current affiliations, prompting reflection on how international careers can shift with political and economic landscapes.
She explained that her salary at the State University in St. Petersburg is paid in rubles. This arrangement, she added, concerns her less because she no longer participates in European Union governance matters, and thus the currency question sits within a broader context of her ongoing professional and personal decisions rather than EU policy alignment.
Kneissl had previously led the Geopolitical Observatory Key Issues for Russia (GORKI) at St. Petersburg University, an institution with strong ties to Russian academic and policy circles. The observatory’s formal launch occurred during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an event that brings together global leaders to discuss economic and strategic topics and to highlight Russia’s evolving role in international affairs.
In conversations about her life in Russia, Kneissl described enjoying the rural environment and said that local residents have welcomed her with warmth and openness, a sentiment she attributed to building personal ties that make the move feel natural rather than forced.
She disclosed that she settled in the village of Petrushovo in the Kasimovsky district of the Ryazan region, portraying a shift from European capital settings to a more tranquil, country-based lifestyle. The change reflects a broader pattern seen among some former political figures who transition to quieter locales while maintaining active public profiles.
Notes from a public gathering indicated that Kneissl attended a ceremony with a prominent Russian leader, where she publicly acknowledged the significance of mutual perception and respectful gestures between national figures. In Western media commentary, some observers viewed the moment as symbolic of differing political signals, illustrating how appearances in high-profile events can become interpretive touchpoints for international audiences.
Beyond the public image, Kneissl has been described as a figure who carried influential roles beyond her official tenure, including recognition within Russia as a participant in high-level discussions and as part of the broader network of policy and academic collaboration. This standing underscores the cross-border dimension of contemporary diplomacy, where personal decisions about residence, finances, and professional engagement intersect with national narratives and geopolitical dynamics. The narrative surrounding her career continues to be shaped by how she navigates these intersections and how analysts interpret her ongoing influence within both European and Russian contexts. [citation needed]”