KYIV, July 9 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced the country’s ambassador to Germany on Saturday, along with other Ukrainian envoys abroad, the presidency’s website said.
In a decree where the reasons for this decision are not specified, Volodymyr Zelenski announces that he has dismissed the Ukrainian ambassadors in Germany, India, the Czech Republic, Norway and Hungary.
It also does not specify whether the replaced representatives will be offered a new job.
The Ukrainian president urged Ukrainian diplomats to redouble their efforts to obtain international support and military aid for the country in its fight against Russia since the invasion of the country by Russian forces on February 24.
Relations between Ukraine and Germany, the largest economy in Europe and very dependent on Russian energy, are a particularly sensitive subject.
Kyiv and Berlin are currently at odds over a German-made turbine being serviced in Canada. Germany demands that Canada return the turbine to Russian gas giant Gazprom to supply Europe with gas while Ukraine urges Canada to keep the turbine, saying a delivery of the equipment to Russia would contravene the sanctions imposed on Moscow. (Pavel Polityuk, Gilles Guillaume for the French version)