President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is going to replace Ukraine's ambassadors to Switzerland, Cyprus, Argentina, the USA and several other countries, sources have told LB.ua/
The list includes no G7 ambassadors apart from the US one but there are plans to change them as well. No decision has been taken on them because of personnel deficit.
"In connection with a new stage in the political life of Ukraine after the elections, Zelenskyy wants to change ambassadors, first of all, in G7 countries. But the problem is that there are no candidates to replace them. Therefore, there are no G7 countries on the current list [except for the US one]. There are Vatican, Switzerland, Argentina, Vietnam, Jordan, Armenia, Cyprus, South Africa, and so on,” the source said.
According to information available to LB.ua, the list was initiated by the deputy head of the president's office, Vadym Prystayko. Many of those whom he proposes to recall have been on repeat missions.
Ambassadors who are subject to rotation will be notified by the end of the day, 16 July.
Artem Rybchenko is the Ukrainian ambassador to Switzerland, appointed in June 2018, Yuriy Dyudin in Argentina was appointed in September 2013, Oleksiy Shovkoplyas in Vietnam and part-time in Cambodia was appointed in June 2010, Serhiy Pasko in Jordan was appointed in July 2010, Petro Lytvyn in Armenia was appointed in June 2018, Borys Humenyuk in Cyprus was appointed in February 2012, Taras Kuzmych in South Africa was appointed in December 2018, and Valeriy Chalyy in the USA was appointed in July 2015.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Tetyana Izhevska, has been the longest serving ambassador. She was appointed in March 2007.
Before his appointment to Washington, Chalyy was the deputy head for international affairs in President Petro Poroshenko's administration.