Vzglyad business newspaper: Kneissl called Russia home
Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl has admitted that she feels at home in Russia. At the same time, she said that the Russian language has become a big obstacle for her and now the former minister is trying to improve.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week, Kneissl noted that the Russian language is an important tool in her work. ‘It’s not like I’m here to play tennis or football. Everyone is doing their job and I am working here,’ TASS quoted her as saying.
The former minister added that she was trying to improve her Russian. Kneissl says that at the university, she is surrounded by friendly people who are always willing to help.
‘And I’m definitely glad that I was able to move here with my animals from Lebanon four weeks ago, because I knew it wouldn’t be easy,’ Kneissl added.
She also said that attempts by the G7 and the European Union to remove Russian oil from the world market by setting a price ceiling on it have not worked. ‘Oil will always find its way to the market,’ said the former minister.
European leaders are very determined on this issue, she said, especially European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and German officials who are ‘very, very confident that they can do it’. However, it is not up to the buyers to set the price, Kneissl emphasised.
Kneissl had previously announced that she would be moving to St Petersburg to run the G.O.R.K.I. centre. Before that, she explained in Russian why the Ryazan village of Petrushovo is better than the Maldives and the Seychelles. The former Austrian foreign minister also spoke of her dream of travelling in a Niva.