Zaluzhny will become Ukraine's new ambassador to Britain: why is Zelensky sending him to London?
The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, is expected to become Ukraine's new ambassador to the UK soon. His candidacy was agreed by President Zelensky and now must be agreed in London. Find out why exactly Zaluzhny fits perfectly into this position
On Thursday, 7 March, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry announced that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had approved the candidacy of former Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyy as Ukraine's new ambassador to the UK.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already sent the UK a request for agriman (prior consent). It is worth noting that after Vadym Prystaiko was dismissed last year, Ukraine has not had an ambassador to the UK for almost 8 months.
"The president has been looking for a strong candidate for the post of ambassador to London for a long time. And one of the key requirements was an understanding of the military context. Because the UK is one of the leaders in military assistance to Ukraine. It is a country that has a vision of military strategy. That's why the new ambassador had to have a deep military background," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Zaluzhnyi has a master's degree in international relations, so the road to diplomacy is open to him.
The President of Ukraine also commented on the news, saying that the general himself had told him that he saw himself as a diplomat.
Politicians often say that for former high-ranking officials, the post of ambassador is a political retirement. However, this does not seem to be the case.
Why Zaluzhnyi, and why to the UK?
It is worth noting that the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK is a very important mission for the country, and this position is not filled by standard diplomats. Earlier, the former chief Ukrainian diplomat in London, Prystaiko, said that the position of ambassador to Britain was offered to people of "a fairly high level."
Zaluzhnyi is probably a promising option as an ambassador, and in the country of a strategic ally.
As Kuleba and many experts have already said, the appointment of a professional military ambassador to the UK, a country that is one of Ukraine's main partners in arms supplies and military training, is a very good decision.
It is worth recalling that Zaluzhnyi, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, gave numerous interviews to British publications, through which he wanted to convey to the allies the specific needs of the Ukrainian army and his strategic opinion on military operations.
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Ukraine is waiting for Britain's approval
A request for agrimony is a standard procedure for appointing a new ambassador. First, the country selects a suitable person and then coordinates their candidacy with the state where they want to send them.
In Zaluzhnyi's case, the request is a formality, as the UK is likely to approve his appointment quickly because of his popularity and professionalism. So it seems that we will soon see a Ukrainian general in London.
Zaluzhnyi's resignation
As you know, in early February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy changed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, dismissing Valeriy Zaluzhnyy and appointing Oleksandr Syryskyy to take his place.
At the time, the president thanked the former commander-in-chief and said that the army needed urgent changes.
Rumours of Zaluzhny's resignation began to spread after the results of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the summer. However, the President's Office denied that there was a conflict between the head of state and the Armed Forces commander-in-chief.
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