Zelensky appoints 16 new ambassadors
President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 21 appointed 16 new ambassadors, setting the "key priorities" of Ukrainian diplomacy till the end of 2025.
According to the decrees published on the President's website, Andrii Plakhotniuk was appopinted as ambassador to Canada and Ukraine's representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization, and Yurii Lutovinov as ambassador to Japan.
Yaroslav Melnyk will serve as ambassador to Belgium. Serhii Pohoreltsev was appointed ambassador to Mexico, while Olha Selykh and Yuliia Sokolovska will serve as ambassadors to Oman and Spain respectively, with Sokolovska also representing Ukraine at the World Tourism Organization.
"In the morning, after briefings from military and interior officials, I met with the foreign minister and our (Presidential) Office team. We finalized the long process of selecting ambassadorial candidates," Zelensky said on Telegram.
"I appointed 16 ambassadors. Each has been given specific tasks and performance benchmarks. Today, we'll outline the key diplomatic priorities for Ukraine for the next six months in a meeting with ambassadors," Zelensky added.
Other appointments include Oleksandr Voronin (Algeria), Oleksandr Balanutsa (UAE and the International Renewable Energy Agency), Volodymyr Bachynskyi (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Volodymyr Boiechko (Estonia), Andrii Kasyanov (Angola), Hennadii Nadolenko (Malaysia), Serhii Nizhynskyi (Cyprus), Maksym Subkh (Kuwait), Yurii Tokar (Kenya and the UN Environment Programme), and Oleksandr Scherba (South Africa).
Zelensky appointed Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna on July 17 as special envoy to the United States, as she awaits formal approval as ambassador to Washington.
That same day, Ukraine's parliament confirmed Yuliia Svyrydenko as the new prime minister in a significant government reshuffle.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced earlier in July that around 20 new appointments were expected as part of Zelensky's strategy to strengthen diplomatic representation in key countries, particularly G7 and G20 members.
