Vsevolod Chentsov, Ukraine's ambassador in Brussels, takes on a senior ministerial post
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has swapped his European integration minister and Brussels ambassador, in a reshuffle that is partly intended to capitalise on a recent breakthrough in EU accession talks.
Vsevolod Chentsov, the ambassador in Brussels since 2021 was appointed deputy prime minister for European integration on Thursday as part of a broader government reshuffle which has been overshadowed by the controversial ousting of the defence minister.
Meanwhile, the man Chentsov replaces – Taras Kachka – will go to Brussels to serve as the ambassador to the EU, Zelenskyy announced on Friday.
The move was hailed in Brussels. Maija Celmiņa, an official who works with Valdis Dombrovskis, the economy commissioner, said Kachka “combines outstanding expertise on EU accession with deep trade knowledge and exceptional negotiating skills”.
