The appointment will be seen as a resolution between Zelensky and Zalozny after reports that their relationship is tense, partly due to Zelensky's doubts about Zalozny's political ambitions. Zalozny (50 years old) is still very popular in Ukraine, and is competing with the president, and this move keeps him in an influential role, but as a diplomat outside the country.
Zelensky said in a post on the social media app Telegram that Zalozny “told me that this is the direction he would like to take – diplomacy.” “Our alliance with Britain must become stronger.”
The post of Ukraine's ambassador to Britain – a crucial position as London played a leading role in supplying arms to Ukraine – has been vacant since July, when Zelensky fired Vadym Prystayko. Prystaiko, an experienced diplomat, criticized Zelensky's “unhealthy cynicism” during a television appearance.
Zalozny's role as Commander-in-Chief involved some diplomacy – he would often directly lobby his foreign military counterparts for more weapons so they could persuade their governments. He will likely do the same in London, but after two years leading the war effort in Ukraine, Zalozny will be in a civilian position and removed from any battlefield decision-making.
Zalozny was dismissed last month and replaced by Colonel Gen. Oleksandr Sirsky, who had been commander of Ukraine's ground forces, partly because Zelensky felt that new leadership could rejuvenate the army after the fighting had reached a stalemate over the past year. But the move was unpopular with ordinary soldiers, many of whom respected Zalozny.
Sersky faced a difficult first month in office, as he ordered troops to withdraw from the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka three weeks ago. Ukraine is also facing an ammunition shortage because a $60 billion security aid package from the United States has stalled in Congress.
Amid uncertainty in Washington, the task of securing British support became increasingly important. Although Britain provides less materiel than Washington, it has often taken the lead on the type of weapons it approves. For example, Britain sent Kiev long-range missiles, Storm Shadow cruise missiles, while the Biden administration was still depriving Kiev of the Army's Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS.
On the other hand, French President Emmanuel Macron has in recent days escalated his rhetoric regarding the West's responsibility in helping Ukraine defeat Russia.
On Thursday, he met in Paris with parliamentary party leaders, who said Macron reiterated his position that there should be “no limits” to support for Ukraine.
His comments followed an announcement late last month that France currently had “no consensus” on sending ground troops to Ukraine, but “nothing should be ruled out.”
During his visit to Prague on Tuesday, he urged Ukraine's allies not to be “cowards.”
Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party, summed up Thursday's meeting for reporters, saying that Macron told those present that “there should no longer be, according to his analysis, any limits to the intervention of France or the intervention of EU countries” when that is the case. Comes to support Ukraine.
Rosell stressed that the declaration indicates that France no longer believes in the power of diplomacy or politics to stop the war. He said this represents a shift in attitude from two years ago when there were “red lines.”
Roussel said that Macron's statements show that he is “prepared tomorrow to engage in an escalation of the war that could become very dangerous.”
Marine Tondillier, of the French Green Party, said it was “very worrying” to see the French president saying, when referring to a war involving a nuclear-armed leader, that “we must show that we have no limits.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television on Thursday that Macron “continues to raise the level of France’s direct involvement in this war.”
