Scandal-plagued Andrey Melnik served as Ukraine’s deputy international minister for seven months
Former Ukrainian deputy international minister Andrey Melnik, who induced controversy throughout his tenure as Kiev’s envoy to Germany, has been named as his nation’s new ambassador to Brazil, in accordance with a decree revealed on President Vladimir Zelensky’s web site.
Melnik lasted seven months as deputy international minister after being appointed to the position final November.
Previous to that, the 47-year-old had served as Kiev’s envoy to Germany for seven years, earlier than he was sacked final July following a collection of scandalous remarks.
Throughout his time in Berlin, Melnik repeatedly accused the German authorities of being too sluggish to offer navy help to Ukraine amid the battle with Russia, regardless of Berlin being one among Kiev’s prime backers on the EU.
In Might 2022, he labeled German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “offended liver sausage” for his obvious unwillingness to go to Kiev, prompting some German MPs to name for Melnik’s expulsion. Scholz ultimately traveled to Ukraine one month later.
Melnik additionally sparred with Elon Musk on Twitter, telling the SpaceX and Tesla CEO to “f**okay off” over his plan for a peaceable settlement of the battle with Russia.
Shortly earlier than his dismissal as deputy international minister, Melnik defended Stepan Bandera – a controversial Ukrainian nationalist chief who collaborated with the Nazis throughout World Warfare II.
The diplomat claimed on a German podcast that Bandera had nothing to do with the mass homicide of Jews and Poles, evaluating him to Robin Hood, who “is being revered by everybody” regardless of being somebody who “didn’t act in accordance with the regulation that was in drive then.”
The remarks raised eyebrows in Germany, Poland and Israel, with Ukraine’s Overseas Ministry being compelled to clarifying that Melnik’s feedback mirrored his personal views, moderately than Kiev’s official place.
Melnik’s new publish takes him to Brazil, which has adopted a impartial stance for the reason that outbreak of the battle in Ukraine in February 2022. It has condemned Russia for launching its navy operation, however has declined to offer navy assist to Kiev or be part of worldwide sanctions in opposition to Moscow.
“We have to work to create the area for negotiations [between Russia and Ukraine],” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva mentioned final month. Lula had earlier proposed to create a “peace membership” of like-minded nations to mediate an finish to the battle.
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