Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected claims by its ambassador to Cyprus, Sergiy Nizhynskyi, that he resigned voluntarily, stating that a recall procedure had already been initiated due to unsatisfactory performance during his term. The ministry described the diplomat's statements as false and misleading. It said the recall proposal had been submitted to the President of Ukraine before the resignation claims were made public.
Ministry's official response
In a statement to journalists, the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected what it called false and misleading claims made by Mr Nizhynskyi, both against the Minister of Foreign Affairs and regarding the reasons for the end of his tenure.
The ministry stated that this was not a voluntary resignation, noting that a proposal for his recall had already been submitted before the information was shared with the media.
Legal framework on resignation rights
The ministry said that, under Ukrainian legislation, Mr Nizhynskyi does not have the right to resign from the diplomatic service, as this right belongs only to category A diplomats holding the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
It added that he holds neither this category nor this rank, raising questions about the legal basis of the document made public in the media.
Recall proposal and stated reasons
According to the ministry, the Minister of Foreign Affairs submitted a proposal to the President of Ukraine on 10 June for the recall of Mr Nizhynskyi, citing a lack of substantive results in his work and failure to advance Ukraine's national interests during Cyprus's presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The ministry said that the decision to open the relevant negotiating chapter, like most significant developments of that period, was achieved despite his work rather than because of it. It described his presence in the Republic of Cyprus as marked by inactivity, passivity and risks to the state's reputation.
The ministry further stated that the Foreign Minister's approach to evaluating the effectiveness of ambassadors is identical for all heads of diplomatic missions abroad, applied fairly and systematically based on clear criteria set out in the ministry's internal regulations.
It added that Mr Nizhynskyi, upon learning that a recall proposal had been submitted, likely sought to create the impression of a voluntary resignation while making what the ministry described as false accusations against his superior. The ministry said it regretted that someone who until recently considered himself part of the team was prepared to resort to such actions and cause damage to the institution.
Ambassador's resignation claims
According to reports in Ukrainian media, Ambassador Nizhynskyi submitted a resignation letter to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, citing demands by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to implement decisions he said contravened Ukrainian legislation and risked harming the state. He stated that his departure was based on the provisions of Ukraine's Law on Diplomatic Service.
