Tochitsky, Kislitsa, Umerov: Who is being prepared to replace Markarova?
2 July 18:08
ANALYSIS FROM 
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to replace Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, four sources told Forbes Ukraine.
In June 2025, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak also wrote on his Telegram channel that Markarova‘s replacement was being prepared. According to him, one of the current government officials may replace the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States. However, the MP did not name any specific names.
At the same time, the leader of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced changes in the diplomatic corps.
“We will change some personnel positions. In particular, in the Ukrainian diplomatic corps and in the management of institutions. The goal is to increase Ukraine’s potential both in relations with partners and for Ukraine’s internal stability,” the president said in his evening address.
Diplomatic reshuffle: who will be appointed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the US
According to Forbes Ukraine, citing its own sources, three candidates are running for the post instead of Oksana Markarova. Two of them are current ministers in the Ukrainian government.
Meanwhile, the Apostrophe media outlet published an article stating that the current Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States may be “pushed down” in her position:
- mP from the Voice party Oleksandra Ustinova;
- mP of the VI and VIII convocations, former Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Pavlo Unguryan;
- former Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov;
- current Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov.
In addition, according to political experts, Ambassador to the United States in 2015-2019 Valeriy Chaly and Head of the Ukrainian Mission to the United Nations and diplomat with many years of experience Sergiy Kyslytsia may represent official Kyiv in the United States after Markarova.
Back in November 2024, MP Oleksiy Honcharenko wrote that Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva could represent Ukraine’s diplomatic interests in the United States instead of Markarova.
[Komersant spoke to analysts and political scientists to find out who will represent Ukraine at the highest diplomatic level in official Washington.
Markarova’s replacement: why it’s not just about the ambassador
Maria Ionova, MP and member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, emphasizes that personnel pauses in diplomacy have become the norm, undermining the effectiveness of foreign policy.
“At the committee, we always ask to appoint ambassadors and not to keep this pause. And not to keep these political bribes. But believe me, unfortunately, no one ever informs us,” Ionova said.
In her opinion, the replacement of the ambassador will not solve the strategic challenges facing Ukraine in its relations with the United States, especially against the backdrop of the growing influence of the Trump administration.
“The new ambassador will not renew Patriot. We need to expand the ways of contacting those institutions that influence Trump’s decisions, including the US. And we need to become more active in the American media. We need to change public opinion,” the MP is convinced.
Ionova emphasizes that the issue is not just about names: “This is a global issue.”
The term is coming to an end. Who is next?
Political analyst Stanislav Zhelikhovsky suggests that the appointment of a new ambassador may take place as early as July.
“The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States may be one of those (to be replaced – ed.), because Ms. Markarova has been in office for 4 years,” the expert explains.
According to him, Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi and Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN Serhiy Kyslytsia are among the possible candidates. However, there is no confirmed information yet.
We need to appoint a strong figure. It is desirable that it be a career diplomat who has the trust of not only the US administration, but also the Congress, the Cabinet, and the Ukrainian diaspora,” the political scientist says.
Zhelikhovsky emphasizes that the new ambassador must be not only a professional but also an effective communicator: he must be able to work with the media, the public, and political decision-making centers in the United States.
This is not the time for dilly-dallying. It is necessary to convey everything necessary and defend national interests,” the expert summarizes.
“She should be replaced because of the loss of trust”
Political analyst Oleh Lisnyi is more cautious, refraining from naming names, but admits: Markarova is no longer a “figure of trust” for the new US administration.
She should be replaced simply because she is not in the trust zone of the current administration. This was demonstrated during the election campaign,” says Lisnyi.
In his opinion, the ambassador is the first outpost of the state abroad, but its influence is highly dependent on political will and context. Especially when decisions are made emotionally, as is often the case in American politics.
Instead, Ihor Kryvosheiev , MP and member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, sees Tymofiy Mylovanov as Ukraine’s new ambassador to the United States.
I have no clear information about who will become the new ambassador to the United States, and I think it is appropriate to comment on this only after the relevant decree is published on the President’s website. Of course, it would be good if it was a person with extensive connections and a certain cultural integration into American society,” the politician said.
Krivosheev also emphasized that the decision to replace Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States is an objective reality after the change of administration in the White House.
How Oksana Markarova is remembered in diplomatic circles
The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States has twice been involved in high-profile scandals.
In September 2024, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson appealed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to recall Markarova. The reason was Zelenskyy’s visit to an ammunition plant in Pennsylvania, organized by the diplomat.
Johnson said that Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova allegedly organized a “partisan campaign” because no Republicans were invited to the event. He is convinced that this was done intentionally, and the tour itself, according to the speaker, was allegedly a “campaign event designed to help Democrats.”
This short-sighted and deliberately political move has caused Republicans to lose confidence in Ambassador Markarova’s ability to perform her diplomatic functions in this country honestly and effectively. She should be immediately dismissed from her post. In addition, as I have made clear in the past, all foreign nations should avoid expressing their opinions or interfering in U.S. domestic politics,” Johnson wrote in a letter to Zelensky.
At the end of February 2025, during a press briefing in the Oval Office of the White House, Oksana Markarova was noticed in a rather awkward position: amid a heated discussion between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the ambassador put her hand to her face and lowered her head. Images of this moment were circulated by the media, emphasizing the tension between the leaders and diplomatic representatives.
For a broader context, it is worth noting that, despite the criticism, Markarova actively participated in major American media outlets. For example, in a high-profile interview on CBS News’ Face the Nation on May 4, 2025, she emphasized the strategic partnership between the United States and Ukraine. She also commented on the intense drone attacks on civilian targets, emphasizing the devastating impact on the population.
Thus, replacing the ambassador to the United States is only the tip of the iceberg. The key task is to develop an effective foreign strategy that will be able to meet the challenges of the new geopolitical reality. The candidacy of the new ambassador is certainly important, but the most important thing is the state’s ability to systematically and persistently promote its interests at the highest level.
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