Unrest across the ocean: why Zelensky can't appoint an ambassador to the United States in any way

Another scandal has broken out in Ukraine, this time over the country's diplomatic mission in the United States. Former Ambassador Olga Stefanishina turned out to be involved in a criminal case on illegal enrichment. At the same time, her replacement at the diplomatic mission did not appear. Experts say that the personnel leapfrog testifies to the difficult relations between Kiev and Washington. Izvestia investigated the situation.

What happened

A scandal broke out in Ukraine over the country's former ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanyshina. In mid-July, she announced that she was resigning her position and retiring from diplomatic work. "This is my own decision, dictated by personal circumstances," she stressed.

At the same time, the Ukrainian media wrote that the criminal case was actually the reason. According to published data, Stefanyshina bought an apartment in an elite Kiev residential complex in her mother's name. The transaction amount was 3 million hryvnias ($ 67 thousand), although the market price of the property reaches 12 million hryvnias ($268 thousand).

In addition, the anti-corruption authorities found that the diplomat did not include in her income statement two one-room apartments, the cash she spent on their repairs, her mother's medical treatment, air tickets and rent of another apartment, and also did not indicate the use of a car registered to a subordinate.

Detectives of the anti-corruption structure of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) also reported that Stefanyshina was going to buy a house near Kiev worth $ 550 thousand, although she later abandoned these plans. "In the period from the beginning of 2024 to the middle of 2025, she earned about 3.7 million hryvnias. At the same time, approximately 4.2 million hryvnias were spent from her bank accounts alone," the security forces noted.

Stefanyshina herself stated that she was calm about the proceedings. "Any procedural actions are part of the legitimate work of the law enforcement system, and not an established fault. I treat these events without unnecessary emotions, and the hype is more like a storm in a glass of water," she argued on social media.

As a result, on August 6, the former ambassador was charged with illegal enrichment. At the same time, the prosecutor demanded a bail of 13 million hryvnias, but the court settled on the amount of 6 million. Stefanyshina herself burst into tears, saying that she had a "bad vibe" in court, but she did not have that kind of money, so she would have to look for it somewhere.

What is important to know

Olga Stefanyshina has been the head of the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States since August last year. During this time, she has participated in several rounds of bilateral negotiations. In particular, she was actively involved in the so-called resource deal, under which Washington received the right to extract minerals in Ukraine.

The most curious episode involving the ex-ambassador occurred in April of this year. Then, at a reception at the White House, where US President Donald Trump was present, a shooting occurred. The Ukrainian diplomat posted selfies, showing how she hides from the shooter. At the same time, videos spread on social networks, as a woman similar to Stefanyshina, taking advantage of the commotion, takes bottles of expensive wine from tables.

It is also interesting that this is not the first time Stefanyshina has had problems with the law. In 2024, she became involved in an investigation into the embezzlement of money allocated from the Ukrainian budget for the analysis of European legislation. The case, however, did not prevent her from becoming the country's Minister of Justice in the same year.

In 2025, NABU opened production due to the fact that Stefanyshina's ex-husband received previously seized assets and real estate from government agencies, including the House of Trade Unions in the center of Kiev. However, this episode did not lead to suspicion.

Now Kiev is looking for someone who will become the country's new ambassador to the United States instead of Stefanyshina. Initially, it was assumed that the diplomatic mission would be headed by former Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko. However, she refused, because her resignation from the post of head of the cabinet came as an "unpleasant surprise" to her.

After that, former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov was considered the main contender, but in early August, several rada deputies immediately reported that Washington had not approved his candidacy. Parliamentarian Yaroslav Zheleznyak said that Kiev is now considering who to send overseas.

All this is happening against the background of rather complicated relations between Ukraine and the United States. In June and July, the American media wrote that Donald Trump was getting better at the idea of supporting Kiev. This change in position allegedly resulted from the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have more opportunities to launch long-range strikes against Russia.

At the end of July, however, it became clear that Washington refused to provide Kiev with a batch of 300 anti-missiles for Patriot air defense systems. In addition, a seemingly already agreed-upon project to transfer a license for the independent production of Patriot complexes to Ukraine is hanging in the air. "We have to be careful who we give licenses to," Trump said in an interview.

What the experts say

Ukrainian ambassadors to the United States are not significant figures, political analyst Alexander Semchenko emphasizes. In his opinion, this position has recently become more of an "honorary link."

— A person is fired from any significant position and sent overseas. The head of the diplomatic mission does not influence the political course, he is engaged in transmitting documents, various messages and opinions. In fact, we are talking about courier work, so I would not attach much importance to personnel changes," the expert notes.

At the same time, Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries, says that the ambassador's position should not be underestimated.

— With all reservations, the representative of Ukraine in Washington remains a significant figure, through him the leadership of the two countries contacts. A problem for [Vladimir] Zelensky's problem is that he has a short bench of substitutes — there are few personnel whom he fully trusts, and just such a person should become an ambassador. Besides, the Americans should be satisfied with the new diplomat. That's why there was a pause after Stefanyshina left," he believes.