Ambassadorial Ethics

A new survey by the Sofia Center for Social Studies says that only one quarter of Ukrainian citizens think Russia is a “friendly state and strategic partner.”

Meanwhile, we already know what many Ukrainians think of Russian ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin, whose systematic lampooning of Ukrainian economic stasis and alleged ties with America have divided the country’s political leaders. After threatening to expel Chernomyrdin, Ukrainian foreign minister Volodymyr Ohryzko is now a target of that country’s opposition party, which wants him to resign.

Perhaps the most entertaining part of this row over ambassadorial ethics: the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor, says Chernomyrdin’s comments about the Americans “being everywhere” in Ukraine, are simply “amusing.”