President Volodymyr Zelensky has chosen former Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi as ambassador to Great Britain, in part because of his "military background." Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this during a telethon.

"Indeed, the president has been looking for the strongest possible candidate for the position in London for a very long time. And one of the key requirements was an understanding of the military context, because the UK is not just our special strategic partner, it is one of the leaders in military affairs and military aid to Ukraine," Kuleba emphasized.

He emphasized that Britain is a country that has a vision of military strategy not only for war on land, but also for war at sea, and for "global military affairs" in general. That is why, he said, the new ambassador had to have a "deep military background."

In addition, Kuleba emphasized that London is home to embassies of the so-called global south, so the appointment to the post in Britain is not just about bilateral relations between London and Kyiv.

"They don't send just anyone there... And in communication with these ambassadors who work in London, I am convinced that Valeriy Zaluzhnyi will be one of the most respected figures there and will bring a lot of benefits not only in terms of bilateral relations with Britain, but also for behind-the-scenes diplomacy with countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America," Kuleba said.

He also said that he and Zaluzhnyi had several conversations, from which he was "absolutely convinced" that the general "has a soul for diplomatic work."

"Moreover, he also has specialized education, he received a master's degree in international relations in 2020," the minister emphasized.

Against this background, Kuleba considers the approval of Zaluzhnyi's candidacy "a very logical step." He noted that as Foreign Minister, he is interested in a strong follow-up in London.

"The President has weighed all the factors and decided that Valeriy Zaluzhnyi is the best candidate. Therefore, this is definitely a strengthening for our system, a decision that meets the interests of the Foreign Ministry, the interests of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, and the interests of Ukraine," Kuleba said.