The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, decided to change the ambassador of Ukraine to Germany. According to BILD , which refers to sources in diplomatic circles, the current ambassador Oleksiy Makeev, who has been in office since September 2022, will be replaced by Yevhen Korniychuk, the current ambassador of Ukraine to Israel.
Although the official reason for the change is the regular rotation of diplomats, experts note that this decision may have been caused by pressure and criticism from Andriy Melnyk, Makeev's predecessor.
Andrii Melnyk, who headed the Ukrainian embassy in Germany for 8 years, repeatedly publicly accused Makeev of insufficient activity and considered his work efforts insufficient. In particular, Melnyk reproached his successor for allegedly slowing down aid from Germany.
Despite criticism, Oleksiy Makeev's tenure in office was accompanied by significant military support from Germany. During his work, Ukraine received:
- 121 combat tanks;
- 140 infantry fighting vehicles;
- other military equipment.
Makeyev will remain in Berlin until February 2025 to complete his diplomatic duties and ensure the handover.
Yevhen Korniychuk, who will replace Makeev, currently holds the position of Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel. He has many years of experience in diplomacy and successful work in the complex region of the Middle East. Korniychuk is expected to continue strengthening Ukrainian-German relations, particularly in the military and economic spheres.
The change of the ambassador in the key EU state for Ukraine takes place at a time of active diplomatic and military challenges. Although officially everything is explained by the usual rotation, this step can become a new stage in establishing a partnership between Ukraine and Germany.
