Former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk has sharply attacked his successor Oleksii Makeiev. “He should get his buttocks up, finally get loud and deliver results on vital issues such as German fighter jets and warships and NATO accession,” said current Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Melnyk to the editorial network Germany (RND).
“By trampling on everything that his predecessor created with sweat and blood, Mr. Makeiev threw a gauntlet in my face too,” said Melnyk. “It is a slap in the face to our ancestors that Mr. Makeiev threw in the dustbin a long-standing request to the Bundestag to erect a memorial for millions of Ukrainian victims of the Nazi reign of terror in Berlin – as for our Polish sisters and brothers.”
Melnyk had already sharply criticized his successor at the end of April. At the time, he told Die Zeit that the Ukrainians had previously been able to “participate and even control” the debate about arms deliveries in Berlin. “Now we just go with the flow, let ourselves drift. We were thrown back, smiling and waving.” Instead of drumming on, Makeiev thanked Germany in a “mantra-like” manner for the weapons that had been supplied.
Makeiev has dismissed the criticism. He told the “Spiegel” last week: “I am now the ambassador of Ukraine in Berlin. And the results of the arms deliveries are impressive.” He also referred to the reactions to “these unfortunate attacks by my predecessor”. “Highly unprofessional” was one of the reviews. Unlike Melnyk, every door is open to him, he has already spoken several times with the chancellor, the federal president, the foreign minister and the defense minister.
