Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk has slammed Chancellor Scholz over his refusal to travel to Kiev, telling the dpa news agency that “playing an offended liverwurst sausage doesn’t sound very statesmanlike.”
“This is about the most brutal war of annihilation since the Nazi attack on Ukraine, not a kindergarten,” Melnyk said.
Speaking to German media on Monday night, Scholz said that Kiev’s decision not to allow Steinmeier to visit the country during the president’s whirlwind trip to Eastern Europe in mid-April was “standing in the way” of his own visit.
“You can’t do that,” the chancellor said, calling Ukrainian authorities’ snub “remarkable” given how much military and financial support Berlin has given Kiev in recent months.
Melnyk said President Volodymyr Zelensky would be “happy” to receive Scholz in Kiev, but suggested that “what Ukraine would like much more than any symbolic visit is for the [coalition] government to quickly implement the Bundestag’s proposal for the delivery of heavy weapons.”
The ambassador went on to criticize Berlin for failing to deliver the ammunition to accompany the Gepard anti-aircraft tanks already sent.
Johann Wadephul, deputy leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union party, slammed Melnyk over the remarks, saying the ambassador's “tone" was "inappropriate.” Gregor Gysi, a prominent member of the opposition Die Linke (‘The Left’) in the Bundestag, said the diplomat’s remarks were “unacceptable.”
A spirited discussion containing over 7,000 replies broke out in the comments section of Spiegel’s article on Melnyk’s statement, with users demanding an apology from the ambassador or suggesting that he be sent home.
“This ambassador sprays poison from his mouth nonstop and then is surprised that the chancellor isn’t coming, and insults him again. What’s the point? This is not a diplomat. But what can you expect from a fan of [Stepan] Bandera [a Ukrainian Nazi collaborator]. I like that Scholz just ignores him,” one of the top rated comments said.
“This should not detract from our assistance to Ukraine. But maybe we should finally put the talk of Ukraine’s EU membership to rest?” another person suggested.
“Who is the offended liver sausage here?” a third quipped. “I hope Melnyk will finally get formally summoned and, if possible, deported. He doesn’t respect our democracy,” another wrote.
Melnyk has repeatedly attracted controversy since his appointment as ambassador by President Petro Poroshenko in December 2014. Last year, he warned that Kiev may have to develop nukes if it wasn’t allowed to join NATO. In January, he sought to guilt-trip Berlin into sending weapons due to Germany's "eternal historical responsibility to Ukraine for Nazi tyranny."
In early February, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported that behind the scenes Melnyk was considered “a pain in the a**” by Germany’s political establishment, to the point where officials have gone out of their way to avoid having to deal with him.
Last month, amid the spat over Steinmeier's visit to Ukraine, Melnyk branded the German president a 'Russian agent of influence,' prompting former vice chancellor and Social Democratic Party chief Sigmar Gabriel to accuse the diplomat of spreading “dangerous” conspiracy theories.