Media outlets highlighted the absence of Valeriy Zaluzhny at the meeting between President Zelensky and the UK’s Defence Secretary.
Volodymyr Zelensky with Wes Streeting / © Office of the President of Ukraine
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Great Britain, Valeriy Zaluzhny, was not present at the meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and the new British Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting.
This was reported by “European Pravda,” noting differing explanations from Zaluzhny’s team and the Office of the President.
What Zaluzhny’s side states
“Ambassador Valeriy Zaluzhny was not invited to the meeting between the President of Ukraine and the British Defence Secretary,” the publication quotes Zaluzhny’s media advisor, Oksana Torop.
The Office of the President’s response
In turn, the President’s advisor for communications, Dmytro Lyutvyn, informed journalists that Zaluzhny was expected to initiate his participation but did not do so, opting for another event instead.
“It’s an initiative-based matter (during official visits) for levels below the Prime Minister or President. There is a long-standing customary practice in protocol that with the Prime Minister or President of another country, the ambassador in that country almost always attends. If the level is lower, each ambassador decides independently and informs if they will participate. Today, the Ambassador, as far as we know, is participating in Foreign Ministry events as part of the annual meeting with ambassadors,” stated Lyutvyn.
However, “European Pravda,” citing its own sources, claims that Zaluzhny only learned about the meeting after it had already taken place.
It should be noted that, besides the President, Ukraine’s First Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Serhiy Kyslytsia, and Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Pavlo Palisa, were present at the meeting with the British minister.
We recall that on Tuesday, August 4th, Valeriy Zaluzhny stated that our country allegedly would not be able to join NATO.
Today, Zaluzhny and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were compelled to explain such a significant statement.
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