The communication of diplomats and ambassadors is usually just that: diplomatic. In the Ukraine war, that too is now changing – harsh words and insults are taking the place of empty phrases.
In the case of the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Andriy Melnyk, one can clearly observe the current contradiction between classic diplomacy and noticeably casual crisis communication: Melnyk shared a note verbale, a diplomatic document, on Twitter this week.
As usual, the verbal note begins pompously with the words “The Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany expresses its high regard for the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany and is honored to announce the following.” Only then does it continue with the actual content. The verbal note ends just as pompously. Instead of “Best regards” or “Best regards,” the note ends with the following words: “The Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany is using this opportunity to once again assure the Federal Foreign Office of Germany of its excellent respect.”
Ukraine war: Olaf Scholz and the federal government receive harsh criticism
The environment: Completely different. Melnyk addresses Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Finance Minister Christian Lindner directly: “How long do you want to wait before kicking Russia out of the Swift? How many Ukrainians have yet to be slaughtered by Putinso that Germany finally supports us with defensive weapons?”
Manuela Schwesig was even worse off: the Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, a long-time ardent advocate and supporter of “Nord Stream 2”, has made it her task in the past few days to put her suddenly discovered solidarity with Ukraine in the foreground. The fact that she shared a photo of the state parliament in the Ukrainian colors on Twitter was also too much for Melnyk: “The hypocrisy sucks”, he wrote addressed to her. No mention of “excellent consideration”.
Ukrainian ambassador: Hitler comparison in speech
Sergiy Kislitsya, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Nations, handled it no differently. In a speech he called Vladimir Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons “madness” and continued: “If he wants to kill himself, he doesn’t need nuclear weapons. He just has to do what this guy did in Berlin, in May 1945.”, a unmistakable cross-reference to Hitler.
— Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations pic.twitter.com/KaN9NgZyP3— The Recount (@therecount) February 28, 2022
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As sharp and undiplomatic as the words of Ukraine’s top representatives may be, it hasn’t damaged Ukraine’s reputation so far. When Melnyk was a guest in the special session of the Bundestag this week, he was greeted with long standing applause.
Source: Stern
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