Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expelled numerous foreign envoys, including Kyiv’s ambassador to India, according to Reuters, citing the presidential website. Without elaborating, Zelensky announced the dismissal of Ukraine’s ambassadors to India, Germany, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Hungary. So yet, it is unclear whether the envoys would be given new assignments.
Despite the ongoing conflict with Russia, Zelensky has pushed his diplomats to rally international support and military help for Ukraine. On February 24, this year, Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling it a ‘special military operation’. The conflict has resulted in a significant humanitarian catastrophe, with world leaders advocating that the problem be resolved through diplomatic means, despite their fears and dismay at the rising violence, immense displacement, fatalities, and devastation.
What caused the abrupt dismissal?
Ukraine’s ties with Germany are significantly dependent on the Russian energy supply as well as the largest economy in Europe. The bonds are quite delicate. Andriy Melnyk, nominated as ambassador to Germany by Zelensky’s predecessor in late 2014, is well-known among Berlin lawmakers and diplomats. The 46-year-old is known for his fiery social media interactions, and he has labeled politicians and academics who oppose equipping Ukraine to resist the Russian invasion as appeasers.
He once accused German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of acting like an ‘offended liver sausage’ after Scholz did not quickly accept Zelenskiy’s invitation to visit Kyiv. Kiev and Berlin are now at odds over the maintenance of a German-made turbine in Canada. Germany wants Ottawa to return the turbine to Russian natural gas giant Gazprom so that it may pump gas to Europe. Ukraine has requested Canada to withhold the turbine, claiming that transferring it to Russia would be a breach of sanctions imposed on Moscow.
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