"Questionable move": Zelensky has decided to replace Ukraine's ambassador in Germany.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has decided to prematurely recall Oleksiy Makeyev from his position as Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, as reported by the publication “Mirror of the Week.”

In place of Makeyev, “Yevhen Korniichuk will move from Israel, although the president's view of him as an expert on Germany comes as a significant surprise,” wrote “European Truth,” labeling Zelensky's decision as “a questionable move, to say the least.”

“But it is no secret within the ‘circle’ who has systematically criticized his (Makeyev's) work,” emphasized the European Truth.

On December 25, the German newspaper Bild also reported on Makeyev's impending replacement by Korniichuk, citing several diplomatic sources.

According to Bild, Makeyev will remain working in Germany until February 2025. However, the documents necessary for his dismissal have already been sent to Berlin. Makeyev himself declined to comment on this information.

Yevhen Korniichuk has served as Ukraine's ambassador to Israel since September 2020. He was born in Vinnytsia, studied in Minsk, worked as a Ukrainian consul in the USA, and was a member of the Verkhovna Rada. From 2007 to 2010, he held the position of First Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine. In May 2008, Korniichuk was banned from entering Russia following a similar action by the Ukrainian authorities against then-Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov.

On December 20, Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had approved a list of over 30 new Ukrainian ambassadors. At that time, he mentioned that Nariman Dzhelialov would become the ambassador to Turkey, Olena Hetmanchuk would represent Ukraine at NATO, and Andrii Melnyk would be the permanent representative to the UN.

On December 21, decrees regarding the appointment of new ambassadors to Rwanda, Slovenia, Lithuania, Japan, Indonesia, China, Hungary, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Philippines were published on the president's website.

There has been no official announcement regarding the change of ambassador in Germany. However, "Mirror of the Week" published a complete list of 30 diplomats. In this list, Korniichuk is indicated as the new ambassador to Germany. The publication reports, citing a source, that “all appointments have already been coordinated and approved.”

Background. Recall that the President's Office has settled on a new candidate for the UN permanent representative. Instead of Serhiy Kyslytsia, whose speeches at the Security Council became legendary, an even more eloquent diplomat will head to the UN.