President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the candidacy of Valery Zaluzhny for the position of Ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. A corresponding request has already been sent to the British side. Zaluzhnyi, who was dismissed by Zelensky from the post of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces in early February, has so far refrained from commenting on his appointment. According to the information of BBC Ukraine, Zaluzhnyi has already agreed to the position, but his appointment will become final only after the issuance of a decree from the president and after the completion of the coordination procedure with the British side. In his evening address, President Zelenskyy confirmed Zaluzhnyi's appointment, stressing the importance of strengthening diplomatic ties with Great Britain.
Before he was fired, the president offered Valery Zaluzhny the post of ambassador, but he reportedly turned it down. At that time, 50-year-old Zaluzhnyi, who had devoted his life to a military career, had no experience in the diplomatic sphere, but with the beginning of a full-scale invasion, he had to communicate with military leaders of various countries. It is known that in 2020 he graduated with a master's degree in International Relations.
Talks about the resignation of Zaluzhny, who currently has a higher approval rating than the president himself, have worried society in recent months. Ukrainian and Western commentators wrote about a major crisis of confidence between the military and political leadership of Ukraine.
Disputes between Zelenskyi and the head intensified in November 2023, but then the resignation never happened. On January 29, 2024, Zelensky summoned Zaluzhny and informed him of his intention to fire him. Then the president did not sign the decree, but it happened on February 8.
When asked by a Fox News journalist about the reasons for Zaluzhnyi's dismissal, the president answered: "We need to be faster." This means that we need to get rid of the bureaucracy that we have. Otherwise, we won't stand a chance. It is necessary to be smarter technologically. And, of course, faster."
Regarding Zaluzhny's award of the Hero of Ukraine, which was presented to him on the evening of his release, and his possible further support for the president's policy or joining the opposition, Zelenskyi replied that it was Zaluzhny's own choice: "He defended our nation and our country. I gave him the title of Hero of Ukraine, because I am very grateful to him for that."
