President Volodymyr Zelenskyy still cannot find a candidate for the position of Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States who would have sufficient political weight and influence to work with Donald Trump’s administration. Potential candidates are in no hurry to agree to the position because of the difficulty of working in Washington amid the war. Politico reports this, UNN writes.
Details
According to two former high-ranking Ukrainian officials and four lawmakers, the president of Ukraine is making significant efforts to find a person with enough influence to represent Kyiv in the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to a former high-ranking Ukrainian official and a Republican foreign policy expert, Zelenskyy previously accelerated plans for personnel changes in order to offer the ambassadorial post to Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, but she declined, derailing his plans, the publication уточнює.
It is no secret that I was counting on Yuliia Svyrydenko and offered her the position of ambassador to the United States
He also said at the time that he was looking for a candidate with the highest possible qualifications: "a person at the level of deputy prime minister, minister, or prime minister."
Zelenskyy stated that he offered Svyrydenko to become Ukraine's ambassador to the USA23.07.26, 16:39
However, since then, other potential candidates have likewise declined the difficult task of managing Trump’s "unpredictable administration," Politico notes.
Former Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said that candidates with sufficient authority and qualifications fear that they will not like the conditions necessary to perform the job properly.
She noted that this sharply narrows the range of options for Zelenskyy. According to Klympush-Tsintsadze, such a person would most likely have to come from his inner circle, but there is no one among them who would seriously fit the role.
According to a former Ukrainian lawmaker who wished to remain anonymous, there are people on Zelenskyy’s team who want to take the position, but "none of them is actually suitable."
It would be an oversimplification to portray the situation as though no one wants to take the position. Of course, there are people who aspire to this job, but none of them is actually suitable. It is difficult for Zelenskyy to find a replacement
Journalists also note that there are signs that the White House may soon try to resume peace talks.
In this case, it is extremely important to have an ambassador in Washington who has the political weight to reach agreements, the authority to speak on Zelenskyy’s behalf, and the ability to navigate an administration where policy can change rapidly. As well as lobby for interests in Congress
Politico also emphasizes that Ukraine may be left without an influential politician in Washington precisely when decisions are being made on weapons, air defense, logistics, and intelligence sharing, as well as on the conditions for resuming peace talks.
It is quite possible that Zelenskyy will not appoint anyone before the U.S. midterm elections. It will be difficult to judge who would fit best into the political situation until these elections take place
We remind you
On August 3, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree dismissing Olha Stefanishyna from the position of ambassador to the United States. The relevant decree No. 696/2026 was published.