Austrian Ambassador Robert Müller on Just Peace in Ukraine

Dr. Robert Müller is Austria’s Ambassador to Ukraine, serving since May 2025. Born in Graz, he studied history, geography, and philosophy at the University of Graz, earning a history doctorate. He completed diplomatic training in Vienna and previously worked with Amnesty International and the Austrian Information Service for Development Policy.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen interviews Ambassador Robert Müller about Austria’s approach to a just, sustainable peace in Ukraine. They discuss security guarantees, European integration, accountability before reconciliation, historical inequalities, broader international diplomacy, and women’s participation in negotiations. Müller emphasizes Ukrainian agency, women’s wartime contributions, and the challenges of engagement with Russia.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: On Peace: It is understood by most people that peace does not simply mean quiet. It does not mean a temporary ceasefire. It does not necessarily even mean amicable relations between countries, peoples, or cultures.

It is a multifaceted definition that includes ending hostilities. The UN General Assembly resolution adopted on 2 March 2022, less than a week after the full-scale invasion, demanded Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. Subsequent resolutions also condemned Russia’s illegal annexation attempts. So there is a larger question around peace.

An unnamed colleague of mine noted that, culturally, having so many Ukrainians in the diaspora and so many communities broken up creates an unnatural state of separation for them. They described a traditional society with deep social ties and religious traditions, including Eastern Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, and Judaism. Being so distant from one another adds another layer of stress.

This is a two-part question. How does Austria view peace in this context, especially when the war is so close?

How does Austria see the restoration of cultural and community ties within that definition of peace? It involves the cessation of hostilities, but also an environment where those social ties can be strengthened again after being broken by constant stress and strain.

Amb. Robert Müller: We constantly refer to a just and sustainable peace. That is what is needed in the end. It goes well beyond a mere ceasefire.

We fully understand that, from a Ukrainian point of view, they need security guarantees and assurances. There are hard and soft security assurances. One requirement is that they maintain a strong defence in this country. They also need the prospect of economic integration with the West. EU membership is part of those softer security assurances.

Without that, I think it is almost impossible for them to agree to something because, as I said earlier, trust in the Russian side is so low. As for the exact terms, Ukrainians decide what they can and cannot live with.

You also mentioned the cultural aspect. In most successful peace processes, you eventually need some element of reconciliation to address the factors that led to the conflict, or the hatred that has built up on both sides.

But I understand that this is difficult here. We just heard the ongoing shelling and the defence against it. Under these circumstances, it is hard to tell Ukrainians, “You already have to think about reconciliation.”

Ideally, reconciliation would come after accountability. You make sure that at least the worst crimes against humanity and human rights violations have been addressed, so victims feel that some justice has been done. The next step would then be, “Let’s talk about reconciliation.”

Both aspects would matter in the long run if you want sustainable peace and a safer Europe overall. But a lot also has to change on the Russian side to make that possible. With the current rhetoric and leadership, I don’t see that happening.

Let us hope future generations in Russia are more open to building better relationships with the West, including Ukraine and Western Europe. It could be a win-win situation in the long run if we overcome the conflict, but it will certainly take a long time.

Jacobsen: What do prior failures in diplomacy teach us in this region of the world?

Müller: To understand this conflict, you have to look at it broadly. There is a historical dimension. You could go back centuries in the relationship between Ukraine, Ukrainians, and Russians, including crimes committed under the Russian Empire and, even worse, under the Soviet Union.

Russians’ overall attitude toward Ukrainians is a fundamental problem: they struggle to see and respect Ukrainians as equals. We should recognize the underlying problems. Now we should help both sides find a way out.

That means we also have to talk to the Russians in one way or another. For us, it is difficult because Russia considers Austria an “unfriendly country.” That is why we need to involve a much broader spectrum of countries.

This brings me to global outreach. We have always taken seriously the need to talk to countries outside Europe and encourage them to make their weight felt. If only the European Union and a few others speak up, it does not have the same effect as when major countries from Latin America, Africa, and Asia also put their weight on the scales.

I think that would help gain more traction in Russia towards coming to terms and working to end this conflict. Sometimes we are disappointed that these countries are not doing more, but we continue to encourage them to act.

We recently took part in an initiative condemning Russian threats against diplomatic missions here. We tried to get as many countries on board as possible. Unfortunately, in the end, it was still mostly the EU and like-minded countries.

The whole diplomatic community is affected, but I would say these countries still struggle to speak frankly to Russia.

Jacobsen: Last question. I did a podcast interview with Patricia Elias, a former UN Women Senior Advisor for the Arab States. She is French-Lebanese and has an ongoing initiative called No Peace Without Women.

That leads me to commentaries I have read from Ukrainian women intellectuals, lawyers, and others. They have noted that, in many societies, responsibilities for caring for children and older people fall disproportionately on women.

In a war context, with conscription applying primarily to men, fewer men are available to help, and women take on more of those roles. Alongside the stress-related skin conditions we discussed earlier, women both abroad and here feel the weight of these responsibilities.

Having women at the table in peace negotiations is key. How do you see Ukrainian women’s role as central to these peace efforts?

Müller: Austria has been a strong supporter of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000. We have advocated for its implementation in the UN context and through NATO’s Partnership for Peace and in all other places too

We always notice when women are absent from a peace process. It is not good. We cannot determine the composition of the Russian or American delegations. But we and other countries have also told Ukrainian side how important broader participation is, or at least some participation by women.

Women have participated in the past, but certainly not enough. That is a lesson we have learned from many other conflicts: to settle a conflict, you must involve women.

Currently there are more than 70,000 women working or serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Several thousand of them serving on the frontline. That is quite sizable. It shows the courage and determination of many Ukrainian women.

We all know that society would not function properly without them. Care for older people, children, wounded people, and persons with disabilities falls heavily on women’s shoulders. The demographic situation adds to those responsibilities.

We therefore have to acknowledge their role in the peace process. I raised this in a recent talk with the UN Women representative: what can we do to encourage Ukrainians to include women on their negotiating team?

We will continue to underline this issue in our discussions with Ukrainians.

Jacobsen: Thank you very much for the opportunity and your time, Robert.

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Scott Douglas Jacobsen is a Writer and Editor for The Good Men Project with more than 2,000 publications on the platform. He is the Founder and Publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978-1-0692343; 978-1-0673505) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369-6885). He writes for International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN, 0018-7399; Online: ISSN, 2163-3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), Humanist Perspectives (ISSN: 1719-6337), A Further Inquiry (SubStack), Vocal, Medium, The New Enlightenment Project, The Washington Outsider, rabble.ca, and other media. His bibliography index can be found via the Jacobsen Bank at In-Sight Publishing comprised of more than 10,000 articles, interviews, and republications, in more than 200 outlets. He has served in national and international leadership roles within humanist and media organizations, held several academic, media, and research institution fellowships, and currently serves on numerous international boards. He is a member in good standing in numerous media organizations, including the Canadian Association of Journalists, PEN Canada (CRA: 88916 2541 RR0001), and Reporters Without Borders (SIREN: 343 684 221/SIRET: 343 684 221 00041/EIN: 20-0708028), and others.