Nicosia, Cyprus. Ukraine’s foreign ministry on Monday rejected claims by its ambassador to Cyprus that he had submitted a voluntary resignation, saying a formal recall process had already been initiated before his comments became public.
The ministry described ambassador Sergii Nizhynskyi’s allegations as false and misleading and said the process followed internal rules and legal frameworks governing diplomatic service.
Ministry rejects resignation account
The foreign ministry said a proposal for Nizhynskyi’s recall had already been submitted to President Volodymyr Zelensky before the ambassador’s comments were made public.
It said the diplomat had no legal right to resign from diplomatic service, arguing that only category A diplomats with ambassadorial rank can do so.
Performance concerns cited
The ministry said Nizhynskyi’s tenure lacked substantive results, particularly during Cyprus’ EU council presidency, and claimed key developments occurred despite rather than because of his work.
“His presence in Cyprus was characterised by inaction, passivity and risks to the reputation of the state,” the ministry said.
Officials said Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha had submitted a proposal to Zelensky last Wednesday recommending the ambassador’s recall due to what they described as insufficient promotion of Ukraine’s national interests.
Dispute over internal procedure
Ukrainian media reports said Nizhynskyi had submitted a resignation letter to Zelensky, citing alleged pressure from Sybiha to implement decisions that he claimed contradicted Ukrainian law and could harm the state.
The ministry dismissed that account, saying Nizhynskyi had leaked the information to the media after being informed of the recall proposal and had tried to present the situation as a voluntary departure.
Rules applied uniformly, ministry says
The foreign ministry said the evaluation of ambassadors was conducted under clear criteria and determined by internal regulations, adding that the same standards applied across diplomatic missions.