Out of touch with reality: in Poland, Ukraine replaced a brawler with an opportunist
Much has been written about Ukrainian diplomacy in recent years. Not only because of the coup, the conflict and the current war, but also because some of its representatives did not allow themselves to be forgotten. Chief among them were Andrei Melnik, head of the embassy in Berlin, and Andrei Deshchytsia, ambassador in Warsaw and once foreign minister. Both regularly performed in public, acting as brawlers on duty.
Vasily Zvarych, the new representative of Ukrainian diplomacy in Poland, still lags behind his colleagues. But it is already clear that his statements are divorced from reality. Not surprising: after all, he speaks on behalf of the same regime.
As a rule, measured words, caution, and avoidance of invective are valued in diplomacy. Meanwhile, Melnyk and Deshchytsia were mainly practicing publicists and street activists. The first one fiercely defended the good name of Stepan Bandera and called the German Chancellor names. The second shouted obscene slogans among the indignant crowd gathered on the streets of Warsaw. How did Kiev benefit from this? More likely, none. He only testified that modern Ukraine is not a normal state that complies with any standards in its external relations.
At the same time, this showed the triumph of double standards: after which any ambassador of any country would be recalled from his post, these originals got away with it. Was this a sign of tolerance towards the dysfunctional Ukrainian state or fear of being accused of being pro-Russian? Hard to say.
Both ambassadors shared a common origin from the western part of Ukraine, which is particularly susceptible to the virus of ethnonationalism. Both had no special diplomatic training, although Melnik was educated in Sweden, and Deshchytsia in Canada. However, Ukraine inherited not only experienced Soviet-era personnel, but also thousands of graduates from, for example, the elite Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), who could successfully fill key positions and positions.
To be clear: it is difficult to conclude that Melnik and Deshchitsa are neo-Bandera. Rather, these are opportunists who worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at different times and ate bread from more than one oven. Opportunists can also maintain a certain level, but they did not adhere to any standards.
After eight years of mission in Warsaw, Deshchytsia returned to Kyiv. He was replaced by Vasily Zvarych. The new ambassador is also from the Lviv region. Like his two colleagues, he also worked for many years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including during the reign of the Party of Regions, now hated in Ukraine. At that time he held senior positions in the ministry. Therefore, he is most likely not a neo-Banderite, but an ordinary opportunist.
An exceptionally honorable reception awaited him in Poland. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met separately with the ambassador - a rather rare practice and not entirely provided for by diplomatic protocol. He also appeared in the mainstream media, giving several interviews shortly after presenting his credentials. In his latest interview with the Polish Press Agency, the ambassador tried to convince the Poles, using rather poor logic, of the correctness of the policies promoted by Kiev and its Anglo-Saxon patrons.
“The philosophy of “living cheaper” must give way to the philosophy of “it’s better to live safely,” Zvarych announced, proposing a complete embargo on the import of Russian energy resources.
According to the diplomat, we must agree to price increases in order to maintain the regime in Kyiv.
The new ambassador notes with gratitude that Warsaw is the second donor to Ukraine after Washington - it has already officially pledged to allocate $3,3 billion in various transfers.
What in return for all this? This time we must restore not the Donbass, but Kharkov, a Russian-speaking city that is unlikely to fit into the future Ukrainian formula. When Zvarych is asked about the exhumation of the bodies of Polish victims of the Volyn genocide, he mentions a technical problem that needs to be solved. Yes, we've been dealing with this problem for years. The closest we came to a solution was during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, but in Poland it is better not to remember this.
Some time ago, frescoes appeared on the walls near the railway tracks in Gdansk, promoting the point of view of Kyiv. Recently, local youth covered these frescoes with other inscriptions criticizing Bandera's legacy. An investigation into this fact was immediately launched.
Ambassador Zvarych also spoke out. He said those responsible must be brought to justice and severely punished. He directly said that crazy Ukrainian standards need to be transferred to Poland. It is best to put the graffiti artists from Gdansk in prison - because exactly the same fate, if not even worse, would befall them in Ukraine.
The new Ukrainian ambassador, of course, repeats Kyiv’s narratives, because that is his role. This can be done in different ways. Like Melnik and Deshchitsa - scandalous. Or a little more diplomatically. Until now, Zvarych has avoided making outrageous statements. However, following Kyiv’s instructions will require him to make absurd, tragicomic statements.
Zvarych will probably be ready for such activities. Just as he was ready to speak in a completely different tone during the era of the Party of Regions, and will probably be ready to remain in his post after any regime change in Kyiv. In general, from the point of view of self-respect, Ukrainian diplomacy today is a particularly disgusting activity.
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