KYIV, UKRAINE, March 7 – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the candidacy of Valerii Zaluzhnyi for the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has sent the British side a request for an appointment.

On February 8, 2024, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi held a meeting to discuss the need for changes in the Armed Forces.

Later, Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Valerii Zaluzhnyi from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and appointed Oleksandr Syrskyi to replace him. At the same time, the President awarded Zaluzhnyi the title of Hero of Ukraine.

From July 2020 to July 20, 2023, Vadym Prystaiko served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Since July 2023, this position has been vacant until now.

What to know about Valerii Zaluzhnyi

He was born on July 8, 1973 in Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr Oblast. After graduating high school, he studied at the Odesa Higher Joint Command School. Later, in 1997, he entered the military service. He graduated from the Faculty of Combined Arms of the Odesa Institute of Land Forces, the National Defense Academy of Ukraine and the Master’s Degree Program of the National University of Ostroh Academy, specializing in International Relations.

On December 16, 2023, he defended his dissertation in law and received a Doctor of Philosophy degree. He defended his dissertation on a special topic at the National University of Odesa Law Academy.

In 1997, he graduated with honors from the institute, after which he passed all the stages of military service: platoon commander, training platoon commander, combat platoon commander, training company commander, cadet company commander, battalion commander.

In 2007, he was appointed Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade in Yavoriv, Lviv region. On October 13, 2009, he was appointed commander of the 51st separate mechanized brigade. In 2017, he became Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander of the Operational Command “West”. He was also the Chief of the Joint Operational Staff and Commander of the Operational Command “North”.

On July 27, 2021, Zaluzhnyi was appointed the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On May 23, 2022, he was included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2022.

On February 8, 2024, he was dismissed from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.