Ukraine's MFA on Belarus envoy appointment: Work is underway, results likely soon

The final decision on the candidate for the post of special representative for Belarus and the Belarusian community in Europe will be made by the president of Ukraine, while work on the appointment is ongoing, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhy has said.

Speaking at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, Tykhy noted that earlier in the day, Illia Kvas, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Unfriendly Countries, had said that the candidate selection process was continuing.

"The final decision will rest with the president of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will select and submit candidates to the president. The president will decide. But this work is underway," Tykhy said.

According to him, Ukraine is now shaping its own long-term policy toward Belarus, focused on putting pressure on the Lukashenko regime, neutralizing threats posed by the regime to Ukraine and its partners, and supporting Belarusians who want to live in a free and democratic country.

Tykhy said that appointing a special representative for Belarus would help better coordinate pressure on the regime and counter the threats emanating from it.

"The work is underway, and I think we will see its results in the near future," the Foreign Ministry said.

On February 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Foreign Ministry was preparing candidates for the post of special representative for Belarus and the Belarusian community in Europe.