Kiev says Valery Zalushny's appointment will strengthen ties between Ukraine and the UK. London announced 150 million in funding for Ukraine to buy ten thousand drones.
General Valery Zalushny, a former commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has been appointed Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
“The President approved the candidacy of Valery Zalushny for the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom,” read a statement from Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The decision comes a month after Zaluzhnyi was replaced by Oleksandre Syrsky, a less popular general in Ukraine, following a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive last year and a personal conflict with Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Zalushny said “this is the direction he wants diplomacy to go.” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the decision, calling it a “very logical step”.
Zaluzhnyi, 50, was appointed chief of staff of Ukraine's armed forces in July 2021, months before Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
British aid is 150 million Euros
Ukraine says Zalushny's appointment is expected to further strengthen ties between Kyiv and London.
This Thursday, Zelenskyy received UK Defense Secretary Grant Shabbs in the Ukrainian capital for his third visit to Ukraine.
Shapps also took the opportunity to announce an additional military aid package for Ukraine worth around 150 million euros, mainly aimed at acquiring more than ten thousand combat and surveillance drones for the Ukrainian armed forces.
The United Kingdom, along with Latvia, is one of the leaders of the “International Drone Alliance,” which is developing and supplying Kiev with these necessary combat assets.
Aid to Ukraine was discussed in a video conference with the participation of representatives of 28 countries, including 21 ministers, Ukrainian foreign and defense ministers and the Secretary General of NATO.
A video conference was organized by Paris on Thursday to present a “united front” and concrete plans to increase support for Kiev.
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