Volodymyr Yelchenko

Volodymyr Yelchenko joined Ukraine's diplomatic service after graduating in international relations and international law from Kyiv State University in 1981. Much of his career involved multilateral diplomacy: he represented Ukraine at the United Nations, served on the Security Council, and held senior foreign ministry positions. His work also included a civilian assignment with the UN Protection Force in Croatia and responsibility for Ukraine's UNESCO commission. ^{1, 2}

Yelchenko later served in Austria and at international organizations in Vienna, then became ambassador to Russia in 2010. Kyiv recalled him for consultations during Russia's seizure of Crimea in March 2014. He returned to the United Nations in 2015 before taking up the Washington ambassadorship at the beginning of 2020. ^{2, 1}

At an embassy press conference in January 2020, Yelchenko urged more active American involvement over Crimea. He said he would raise the peninsula's militarization, human rights abuses, and sanctions against those obstructing reporting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He also emphasized the bipartisan support he had encountered in his initial Washington meetings. ³