Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday (July 9) fired several foreign envoys, including Kyiv’s ambassador to India, according to the presidential website. Without revealing the reason for the move, Zelensky announced the sacking of Ukraine’s ambassadors to India, Germany, the Czech Republic, Norway and Hungary. So far, it is not clear if the envoys would receive new positions.
Amid the ongoing war against Russia, Zelensky has urged his diplomats to drum up international support and military aid for Ukraine. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbouring country Ukraine, terming it a “special military operation” on February 24 this year.
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The war led to a massive humanitarian crisis as the global leaders are urging to bank on diplomatic channels to solve the crisis as they have expressed concerns and shock at escalating violence, massive displacement, deaths and destruction.
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Why the sudden sacking?
Kyiv’s relations with Germany are heavily reliant on Russian energy supplies and also Europe’s biggest economy. The ties are quite sensitive.
Andriy Melnyk, who was appointed by Zelensky’s predecessor as ambassador to Germany in late 2014, is well-known among politicians and diplomats in Berlin.
The 46-year-old regularly engages in outspoken social media exchanges and has branded politicians and intellectuals who oppose arming Ukraine to fight the Russian invasion as appeasers.
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He once accused German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of behaving like an “offended liver sausage” when Scholz did not immediately accept an invitation by Zelenskiy to visit Kyiv.
Kyiv and Berlin are currently at odds over a German-made turbine undergoing maintenance in Canada. Germany wants Ottawa to return the turbine to Russian natural gas giant Gazprom to pump gas to Europe.
Kyiv has urged Canada to keep the turbine, saying shipping it to Russia would be a violation of sanctions imposed on Moscow.
(With inputs from agencies)
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