What diplomatic rank was assigned to Ruslan Stefanchuk?

President Zelensky assigned Stefanchuk the rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador — this is the highest diplomatic rank in Ukraine under the Law “On Diplomatic Service.”

Is Stefanchuk's appointment connected to the dismissal of Ukraine's Ambassador to the US?

No direct connection is stated in the decree, however the personnel changes are happening simultaneously: on August 3 Zelensky dismissed the Ambassador to the US, Olga Stefanishyna, whose replacement has not yet been appointed. Stefanishyna received a new suspicion from the NAB on August 8.

Zelensky Grants Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Stefanchuk Ukraine's Highest Diplomatic Rank

Q: Who else received a diplomatic rank in the same package of decrees?

Hennadiy Ostash, director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the second class. Previously he held the posts of ambassador to Canada and Lebanon and represented Ukraine in ICAO.

Q: What does the rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador confer?

Under Ukrainian legislation, the holder of this rank directs the activities of Ukraine's embassy, heads the heads of foreign diplomatic missions in the state of accreditation, and coordinates Ukrainian delegations in that state.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree assigning the diplomatic rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador — the highest diplomatic rank in the state — to the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk. This was reported by an RBC-Ukraine correspondent, citing the official website of the President's Office. The text of the decree explicitly states: “Assign the diplomatic rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Ruslan Stefanchuk.”

What the highest diplomatic rank means

Under Ukraine's Law “On Diplomatic Service,” the rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador is the highest in the country's hierarchy of diplomatic positions. An official holding this rank directs the activities of Ukraine's embassy, heads the heads of other foreign diplomatic missions in the state of accreditation, and also coordinates the work of Ukrainian delegations located on the territory of that state. Thus, the assignment of this rank to Stefanchuk opens the possibility for him, in the future, to head a key diplomatic representation of Ukraine abroad.

Who is Ruslan Stefanchuk

According to the “Honest” movement, Ruslan Stefanchuk holds a Doctor of Law degree, is a professor, and is a corresponding member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine. At the time of the decree's signing, he holds the position of Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. The assignment of the highest diplomatic rank to him against the backdrop of the current situation in parliament is viewed by observers as possible preparation for future diplomatic or other state activity.

Second decree: Hennadiy Ostash receives the rank of second-class ambassador

In the same package of presidential decisions, Hennadiy Ostash, director of the “Hennadiy Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” was appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the second class. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ostash at various times held the positions of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada and Lebanon, represented the country's interests in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), was a people's deputy for several convocations, including heading the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs. In addition, he worked at the Institute of Linguistics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and headed the International School of Ukrainian Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Since August 2024, Ostash has been serving as an ad hoc advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Context: personnel changes in the diplomatic corps

The assignment of the highest diplomatic rank to Stefanchuk comes against the backdrop of significant personnel changes in Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One of the most resonant was the dismissal of Olga Stefanishyna from the post of Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States — Zelensky signed the corresponding decree on August 3. At the time of publication, the president had not yet named a successor to Stefanishyna for this key position. The situation around the former ambassador has also taken a legal turn: on August 8, Stefanishyna received a new suspicion from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, with charges of abuse of power and illegal enrichment. On August 13, the court selected a bail measure of 6 million hryvnias for her.

Contradictory data

No significant discrepancies in key facts were found in the provided sources: both RBC-Ukraine and “Korrespondent” confirm the fact of the decree's signing and its content. At the same time, the Obozrevatel source, referring to events surrounding the nomination of Serhiy Koretsky for the post of prime minister, records Stefanchuk in the role of the acting Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, which is consistent with the main news. The only point worth noting is that the decree regarding Stefanchuk does not specify a particular class of ambassadorial rank (unlike Ostash, who was assigned the second class), which may indicate that the rank was assigned without being tied to a specific class, or that the class will be determined upon actual appointment to the position.

Zelensky Grants Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Stefanchuk Ukraine's Highest Diplomatic Rank