List of ambassadors of Australia to Ukraine explained

Post:Ambassador of Australia to Ukraine
Insignia:Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Insigniasize:120px
Department:Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Incumbent:Bruce Edwards
Incumbentsince:4 October 2020
Residence:Moscow (1992–2009)
Vienna (2009–2013)
Warsaw (2013–2014)
Kyiv (2014–2022)
Lviv (2022)
Seat:13 Kostelna Street, Kyiv
Nominator:Prime Minister of Australia
Style:His Excellency
Appointer:Governor General of Australia
Reports To:Minister for Foreign Affairs
Formation:10 January 1992
Inaugural:Cavan Hogue
(resident in Moscow)
Website:Australian Embassy, Ukraine

The ambassador of Australia to Ukraine is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to Ukraine. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Bruce Edwards since October 2020. The embassy is co-located with the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv, but has been temporarily closed due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Australian officials currently based in eastern Poland and Romania. Since 2020, the ambassador also holds non-resident accreditation for Moldova.

Posting history

See main article: Australia–Ukraine relations. Ukraine and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1942 when Australia opened channels with the Soviet Union (which included the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic), although independent relations did not occur until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of a fully independent Ukraine in late 1991. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991, Australia acted to recognise the new states of the Commonwealth of Independent States on 26 December 1991. Non-resident accreditation to Ukraine, based with the Australian Embassy in Moscow, was later established from 10 January 1992, with the Australian Ambassador in Moscow, Cavan Hogue, presenting his credentials to the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk on 9 March 1992. Accreditation was transferred to the new interim embassy established in Kyiv in November 2014 following the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine.[1] From 5 November 1992 to the opening of a resident embassy in 2014, Australia maintained a Consulate in Kyiv headed by an Honorary Consul, Serhiy Mykolayovych Berezovenko, a prominent economist and businessman based in the city.[2] [3] [4]

The first resident ambassador, Doug Trappett, who was previously Deputy Head of Mission in Rome, had been sent to Kyiv in December 2014 to deal with matters relating to the controversial downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which led to the deaths of 27 Australian citizens.[5] [6] Trappett presented his credentials on 14 January 2015.[7]

Although initially considered an interim measure for 12 months, pending the resolution of the conflicts in the region, with the stalemating of various issues and the hardening of Ukrainian-Russian relations, the embassy's term of existence was extended in February 2016 to September 2016.[8] In September 2016, the decision was taken by foreign minister Julie Bishop to extend the embassy's term for a further two years, noting that a continued resident diplomatic presence would allow Australia: "to work alongside their Ukrainian partners in close cooperation and further develop bilateral ties between the two countries."

On 13 February 2022, amid increasing tensions immediately prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Australian Embassy was relocated from the capital Kyiv to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.[9] However, on 22 February 2022, a day before the Russian invasion, Foreign Minister Marise Payne directed that all Australian officials were to leave the country and operate from eastern Poland and Romania.[10]

List of ambassadors

Officeholder Residency Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
Cavan HogueMoscow, Russia align=right [11]
align=right [12]
align=right [13]
align=right [14]
align=right [15]
align=right years[16]
align=right years
align=right years[17]
Doug TrappettKyiv, Ukraine align=right
Bruce Edwards (Chargé d’Affaires)align=right [18]
Melissa O'Rourkealign=right [19]
Bruce Edwards[20]
Lviv, Ukraine
Poland/Romaniaincumbent

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Political relations between Ukraine and Australia. Embassy of Ukraine in Australia. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. 11 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20121219045234/http://australia.mfa.gov.ua/en/ukraine-au/diplomacy. 19 December 2012. dead.
  2. Web site: Diplomatic and consular relations - First Australian ambassador to Ukraine - Opening of Australian consulate in Ukraine. AustLII. Australian Year Book of International Law. 8 July 2017. 1992.
  3. News: Blewett . Neal . Opening of Australian consulate in Ukraine . 7 October 2022 . Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government . 5 November 1992 . ParlInfo . Media Release.
  4. Web site: Evdokimova . S. I. . Березовенко Сергій Миколайович (Serhiy Mykolayovych Berezovenko). Encyclopaedia of Modern Ukraine . Institute of Encyclopedic Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine . 7 October 2022 . Kyiv . Ukrainian . 2003.
  5. First Resident Ambassador to Ukraine. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518090808/https://www.pm.gov.au/media/2014-12-12/first-resident-ambassador-ukraine. 18 May 2015. Australian Government. Tony. Abbott. Tony Abbott. 12 December 2014.
  6. News: Wroe. David. Australia to host Ukrainian leader, open embassy in Kiev. 11 May 2015. The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 November 2014.
  7. Web site: Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olena Zerkal received Ambassador of Australia to Ukraine Douglas Robert Trappett. Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. 11 May 2015. 14 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20161107011649/http://uk.mfa.gov.ua/en/press-center/news/31537-deputy-minister-for-foreign-affairs-of-ukraine-olena-zerkal-received-ambassador-of-australia-to-ukraine-douglas-robert-trappett. 7 November 2016. dead.
  8. Extension of Interim Australian Embassy in Kyiv. Australian Government. 10 February 2016. Julie. Bishop. Julie Bishop.
  9. Statement on Ukraine. Australian Government. Payne. Marise. Marise Payne. 13 February 2022.
  10. Australia condemns Russia’s unlawful moves on eastern Ukraine. Australian Government. Payne. Marise. 22 February 2022.
  11. First Australian ambassador to Ukraine presents his credentials . 3 March 2022 . Australian Government . 10 March 1992 .
  12. Diplomatic appointment: the Russian Federation . Australian Government. 19 September 1994 . Gareth. Evans . Gareth Evans (politician).
  13. Diplomatic appointment: Ambassador to Russia . Australian Government . 18 November 1998 . Alexander. Downer . Alexander Downer .
  14. Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador to Russia . Australian Government . Alexander . Downer. Alexander Downer . https://web.archive.org/web/20140212021805/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2001/fa183_01.html . 12 February 2014 . 18 December 2001.
  15. Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Russia . https://web.archive.org/web/20150518084438/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2005/fa015_05.html . 18 May 2015 . Australian Government . 28 January 2005 . Alexander . Downer . Alexander Downer.
  16. Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Russia . https://web.archive.org/web/20160131211945/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2008/fa-s062_08.html . 31 January 2016 . Australian Government . Stephen . Smith . Stephen Smith (Australian politician) . 30 April 2008.
  17. Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador to Poland . https://web.archive.org/web/20150211073306/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2011/kr_mr_111208.aspx?ministerid=2 . 11 February 2015 . Kevin . Rudd . Kevin Rudd . Australian Government . 8 December 2011.
  18. Australian Government extends diplomatic presence in Ukraine . Australian Government . Julie. Bishop . Julie Bishop . 29 September 2016.
  19. Bishop . Julie . Julie Bishop . Ambassador to Ukraine . Australian Government . 31 May 2017 . 30 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170604090120/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2017/jb_mr_170530.aspx. 4 June 2017. dead.
  20. Payne . Marise . Marise Payne . 4 October 2020 . Ambassador to Ukraine . 11 March 2021 . Australian Government .