The Czech Republic is set to appoint a new ambassador to Moscow, marking the return of a top diplomat to Russia after a nearly three-year break.
The last Czech ambassador to Russia, Vítezslav Pivonka, left his post in late May 2022. Since then, the Czech embassy in Moscow has been headed by lower-level diplomats, with Jan Ondřejka currently serving as chargé d’affaires.
According to ČTK, citing the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Koštoval, a former deputy defense minister, will assume the role in early 2025.
“Ambassadors to Russia have key countries that are strategic allies of the Czech Republic – Great Britain, France, Germany or the United States of America,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said.
The Czech Foreign Ministry reports he has been with the department since 1996, holding various high-level positions, including director of security policy and director for Northern and Eastern Europe.
His previous postings include stints at the Czech Republic’s NATO mission and the embassies in Moscow and Washington.
The decision to send a new ambassador comes amid “strained relations between the two countries.”
ČTK reports that diplomatic tensions escalated in 2021 after Czech intelligence services linked Russian agents to ammunition depot explosions in Vrbětice in 2014. The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 further complicated bilateral ties, leading to a reduction in Russian diplomatic staff in Prague.
The Czech constitutional officials reportedly debated whether to maintain an ambassador in Moscow during Russia’s ongoing military aggression in Ukraine. In June, President Petr Pavel signed a document initiating the process of appointing a new head of the diplomatic mission.
The Czech Republic has been Ukraine’s closest ally since Russia invaded Ukraine. It provides significant military hardware, humanitarian support, and ammunition-raising funds.
The research by the Center for the Study of Democracy showed that the Czech Republic spent more than €7 billion ($8.2 billion) on Russian oil and gas since the start of the invasion. The report highlights that Czech oil refineries, particularly Polish firm Orlen Unipetrol, have benefited from discounted Russian fuel purchases, amounting to around €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion).
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