Defense instead of diplomacy: former Ukrainian ambassador to Latvia becomes deputy defense minister for European integration
15 October 19:41
On October 7, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree dismissing Anatoliy Kutsevol from the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Latvia, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The document was published on the website of the President’s Office. The reasons for the dismissal are not specified.
On the same day, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed Kutsevol as Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for European Integration. This was reported by the government’s representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk.
“The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has appointed Anatoliy Kutsevol as Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for European Integration,” Melnychuk said.
Who is Anatoliy Kutsevol?
Prior to his appointment to the Ministry of Defense, Anatoliy Kutsevol represented Ukraine in Latvia, where he was sent in December 2022.
Previously, he held a number of government positions related to European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
In particular:
- worked as a chief specialist of the Bureau of European Integration of the Cabinet of Ministers Secretariat (2008-2011);
- headed the civil society organization Platform of Civic Initiatives (2016-2017);
- headed the Reforms Office at the Ministry of Ecology (2017-2019);
- strategic Advisor to the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration;
- advisor to the Prime Minister on European Integration and Sustainable Development Goals;
- deputy State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers.
What role did he play in Latvia?
During his diplomatic cadence, Kutsevols actively developed the Ukrainian-Latvian partnership in the areas of security, education, and business.
In particular, in 2024-2025, he helped to launch joint humanitarian initiatives for Ukrainian IDPs in the Baltic States and coordinated the participation of Ukrainian companies in the Riga Conference, a key platform for security issues in the region.
Why this appointment is important
The appointment of a diplomat with pro-European experience to the Ministry of Defense comes amid Ukraine’s active integration into NATO standards.
In 2025, the government approved a three-year Defense Adaptation Plan to NATO standards, which includes reform of the governance, civilian control, and training systems.
Kutsevol could become one of the key coordinators of this process, responsible for
- communication with the EU and NATO on defense projects;
- integration of Ukrainian officers into NATO training programs;
- expanding Ukraine’s participation in joint defense and industrial initiatives.
The team of deputy defense ministers now includes representatives of both the military and civilian spheres.
Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, Colonel Volodymyr Zaverukha, Major Yuriy Myronenko, as well as Serhiy Boyev, Anna Hvozdyar, and Oksana Ferchuk work alongside Kutsevol.
Analysts believe that this is part of the strategy of civilian strengthening of the Ministry of Defense, which is necessary for further integration with Euro-Atlantic structures.
It should be reminded that after the outbreak of the full-scale war, Latvia became one of Ukraine’s most active allies in the Baltic states.
Riga not only provided defense assistance, but also lobbied for tougher sanctions against Russia in the EU.
The appointment of former ambassador Kutsevols to the defense ministry can be seen as strengthening the link between diplomacy and the security sector, which is especially important as Ukraine prepares to join NATO.
