222
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy may dismiss Oksana Markarova from the position of Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States. It is reported The Washington Post, referring to the words of one of the Ukrainian officials, although no official comments have yet been received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine or the Office of the President.
Discussions about a potential replacement for Markarova began after Zelenskyi's September visit to a munitions plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The measure drew criticism from Republicans, including US House Speaker Mike Johnson. He demanded the immediate release of Markarova, implying that the visit was pre-election in nature, allegedly in support of the Democrats.
Johnson said the plant visit was arranged so that no Republicans attended, only Democrats. Given that Pennsylvania is home to many ethnic Ukrainians and Poles, this region is significant in the context of the election campaign. According to Johnson, Zelensky's presence, along with Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, appeared to be an endorsement of Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who has considered Shapiro as a potential running mate.
After Johnson's demand for the release of Markarova, Zelensky, answering a question from Fox News, hinted that only Ukraine decides who will represent its interests. "With all due respect to Speaker Johnson, I can discuss Ukrainian diplomats only with representatives of our state," the president emphasized, referring to the Constitution of Ukraine, which determines the procedure for appointing ambassadors.
Meanwhile The Washington Post notes that new candidates for the position of ambassador to the United States are being considered, although official Washington has not yet received confirmation of possible changes.
