Ukraine General Rejects US Post

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Tuesday that Pavlo Palisa, a brigadier general and deputy head of the presidential office, turned down the role of ambassador to the United States. Palisa told Zelenskyy he preferred to return to the front lines rather than assume the diplomatic post.

Zelenskyy disclosed the decision during a press meeting, noting that three candidates were under consideration: Yuliia Svyrydenko, Dmytro Kuleba, and Palisa. The president cited Palisa’s American education and fluency in English as reasons for his candidacy. He also noted that US President Donald Trump knows Palisa personally and that substantial work remains in Washington regarding military cooperation.

“Palisa would be a good ambassador, but he doesn't want to,” Zelenskyy said. He relayed Palisa’s blunt response: “Send me to the line of contact, get me back to my brigade urgently. I'm not going anywhere outside Ukraine.”

Consultations to fill the position are ongoing, and no successor has been named. The post has been vacant since Zelenskyy removed Olha Stefanishyna on August 3. Palisa previously addressed media speculation by denying the rumors and pointing out that Ukrainian law prohibits simultaneous service in the military and diplomatic corps.

Palisa holds the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi and continues his dual role as a senior military officer and government official. The lack of a designated ambassador has left Ukraine without a top-level diplomatic representative in Washington for nearly three months.