According to reports, Kiev plans to recall Andrey Melnik, its controversial ambassador to Germany.
Kiev’s strident ambassador to Berlin, Andrey Melnik, might be about to leave Germany to potentially take a new post within the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the German tabloid Bild reported on Monday, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official. Melnik was recently embroiled in yet another scandal, after appearing to defend Stepan Bandera (Nazi collaborator) during an interview.
The ambassador “might soon leave Germany and go back to Kiev,”Bild (citing “several sources”The capital of Ukraine. A new ambassador to represent Kiev’s interests in Berlin is reportedly being sought, the outlet stated, adding that Ukraine might make the move before autumn.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has reportedly already asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider the move. “Andrey Melnik is very much appreciated in Kiev for his work,”Bild was told by a representative of the Ukrainian government. The media outlet reported that the Ambassador might be promoted to deputy foreign minister.
Melnik is most well-known in Germany for his offensive rhetoric. Melnik has been critical of Berlin’s inaction to help Ukrainian refugees. “feel welcome”Reluctant to Supply Kiev With the Weapons It Requested He insulted Olaf Scholz personally in May by calling him an Anonym. “offended liverwurst”Over his decision to not visit Kiev in June. The diplomat confessed that he regrets berating the chancellor in June.
Most recently, Melnik found himself at the center of a new controversy after he repeatedly defended Stepan Bandera – a controversial Ukrainian national hero who collaborated with the Nazis during WWII – in an interview with the German podcaster Tilo Jung. Particularly, Melnik insisted Bandera had nothing to do with the mass killing of Jews or Poles.
His words drew sharp criticism from both Poland and Israel and prompted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to say that the ambassador’s words were his own and did not reflect Kiev’s position. It was discovered that Melnik had blocked the portion of Melnik’s interview where he defended Bandera from TikTok on Monday.
The clip featuring Melnik’s words about Bandera “violates community rules” of the video-sharing app, Jung wrote in a post on his show’s Twitter page. It was called by the podcaster. “censorship of journalism.”German media reported that the clip had been taken from TikTok.
The German government’s antisemitism commissioner, Felix Klein, also criticized Melnik’s words on Monday by calling them “problematic.”The official stated that such statements are only a cause of discord between the countries supporting Ukraine. He called upon Kiev to become a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. “an appropriate forum”Deliberately discussing the issues raised in this way by Ambassador “at an international level.”
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