US House Speaker calls on Ukrainian leader to dismiss ambassador

(MENAFN) US House Speaker Mike Johnson has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to dismiss Kyiv’s ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova, following her organization of a recent visit to a US military facility. Johnson expressed his concerns in a letter to Zelenskyy, which he shared on X. He referenced Zelenskyy’s previous assertion that Ukrainians aim to avoid being entangled in American domestic politics, emphasizing that this goal was compromised by the ambassador's actions.

During Zelenskyy's trip to the US for the UN General Assembly and a high-level session on Ukraine at the UN Security Council, he toured the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Pennsylvania. Johnson criticized the timing and location of the visit, noting that it took place in a politically contested state and was led by a prominent political figure associated with Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, while excluding any Republican representatives.

Johnson labeled the visit as an event intended to benefit Democrats, accusing it of constituting “election interference.” He expressed that this politically charged maneuver has eroded Republicans' trust in Ambassador Markarova's ability to serve effectively and impartially, leading him to demand her immediate removal from her post.

Despite acknowledging that bipartisan support for ending the Russia-Ukraine war remains intact, Johnson warned that relations are being jeopardized by what he perceives as Ukrainian officials targeting top Republican candidates in the media. He cautioned that such incidents must not occur again, highlighting the need for foreign nations to refrain from interfering in US domestic politics. As of now, neither Zelenskyy nor Ukrainian officials have responded to Johnson’s remarks.

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