“The absence of an ambassador is taking its toll.” Stefanishyna assessed the scale of the crisis in Ukraine–US relations

Former Ukrainian ambassador to the United States Olha Stefanishyna called the current state of relations between Kyiv and Washington crisis-like and critical for Ukraine. She stated this in an interview with Glavkom.

Stefanishyna noted that the current state of relations between Ukraine and the United States is evidently crisis-like and critical for the country. According to her, the American administration is well aware of Ukraine’s most important needs, on which its survival in part of American aid depends. Specifically, she mentioned early warning about ballistic threats, access to satellite technology via Starlink, and regular receipt of weapons through the PURL mechanism. She noted that the American side regards these three directions as tools to pressure Ukraine within the framework of renewed diplomatic efforts.

“Despite the fact that the situation is currently critical, we managed for almost two years of this presidential term to maneuver and ensure both intelligence sharing and access to technologies and a well-established system for purchasing American weapons. Two years ago, in the midst of the previous crisis in relations, this was considered almost impossible. At the same time, tensions escalated continuously, but only now do they align with concrete steps by the United States toward the Russian Federation,” Stefanishyna emphasized.

The former ambassador reminded that Ukraine itself called on the United States to resume negotiations, but now American diplomacy, in her words, is accompanied by threats to Kyiv and steps toward Moscow. She added that such a course faces opposition in both parties of Congress, and public opinion in the United States remains on Ukraine’s side.

Stefanishyna believes that Ukraine is unlikely to have been able to prevent the current deterioration of relations with the United States, since little depended on the Ukrainian side in this situation. “But, unquestionably, there is a lack of trustworthy systemic communication with the American authorities, which we feel today,” she said.

“Usually having contacts at various levels in the White House, the National Security Council, the State Department (even if they are not top contacts at the ministerial level) provides an understanding of what is happening and what is planned. I remember when last year a ‘peace plan’ with 28 points appeared, its public perception was one thing, but from my contacts I understood that it was not a plan that the American and Russian sides adhered to, but a request to Russia to spell out all its expectations. In other words, it wasn’t a betrayal, but due to a lack of insights there was no complete picture of what was happening,” the former ambassador explained.

Stefanishyna added that part of the American authorities consider closer ties with Russia to be safer than its eventual closer alignment with China.

“The ambassador is not the only figure who fully closes the entire American file. But his absence, of course, is noticeable. I would also like to note that, besides the ambassador, there has been almost a year without a military attaché of Ukraine in the United States. Changes have also occurred within our Ministry of Defense. The previous leadership of the Ministry of Defense had working contacts at the Pentagon. They have remained and now, but there is no dialogue at the level of personal relationships with the U.S. deputy defense ministers and evidently with the secretary himself. And this is noticeable,” Stefanishyna summed up.

As a reminder, former Ukrainian ambassador to the United States Olha Stefanishyna stated that the future Ukrainian ambassador in Washington should have access to the American administration, speak English impeccably, and be held in high regard among the political circles of the United States. At the same time, the diplomat warned against appointing a person with excessive political ambitions.