Ukrainian President's Office establishes contact with Trump's Ukraine envoy and considers replacing ambassador to US

The Ukrainian President's Office has found common ground with Richard Grenell, whom US President-elect Donald Trump sees as his special envoy on the Russo-Ukrainian war. The Office also began to consider the possibility of replacing Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda article The war for Trump and the war against Trump. How Zelenskyy is preparing for a new reality (English translation coming soon)

Details: Following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent visit to the United States, tensions have surfaced between the Ukrainian embassy and House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office after his criticism of Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova. Zelenskyy has so far disregarded Johnson’s demand to dismiss Markarova. However, following Donald Trump’s election victory, the President's Office reportedly began discussing the possibility of her removal.

A significant factor in this development has been the "recommendations" to Ukraine's president from Andrew Mac, a lawyer and former partner at the Kyiv-based firm Magisters. Mac, who presents himself in Washington as a key communicator from Zelenskyy, has been registered as an unpaid lobbyist for the Ukrainian president since 2019.

Despite his relatively modest achievements in this role, Mac maintains close contacts within Mike Johnson's office. It is, therefore, unsurprising that he is the one urging Kyiv to replace the ambassador.

Should the decision be made, Zelenskyy is reportedly considering several candidates for the ambassadorial post. The leading contenders are Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, and Andrii Melnyk, currently serving as Ukraine's Ambassador to Brazil.

In addition, Ukrainska Pravda has learned that, despite all the challenges, the President's Office has succeeded in establishing communication with Richard Grenell, the former US Ambassador to Germany and former acting Director of National Intelligence. Grenell is expected to be appointed by Donald Trump as a special representative of the US president on the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Contact with Grenell was established following a meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this autumn, which the former intelligence chief also attended. Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, is now working to build further ties with Grenell.

Quote from a Ukrainska Pravda source in Ukraine's political elite: "If we talk to the Americans, the conclusion is that we're starting from scratch. The main task now is to stay out of anything and avoid applying too much pressure, as there are many people around Trump who are, let’s say, not friendly towards us. For now, we need to get through the winter and wait for the inauguration – then we can have meaningful discussions."

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