Dutch envoy for Ukraine resigns after inappropriate comments about Ukrainians
Flag of the Netherlands (Photo:Marjonhorn / Pixabay)
Ron van Dartel, the Netherlands’ special envoy for business and the reconstruction of Ukraine, has resigned after less than three weeks after making controversial comments about Russia and Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands reported on April 20.
According to the agency, the diplomat will leave his post “immediately.”
His resignation has already been accepted by Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Liesje Schreinemacher.
In an interview for one of his books published a few days ago, van Dartel said that “Ukrainians are the same Russians. We must not forget that. That is reality, ” reported Dutch public broadcaster RTL.
“Neither the minister nor the ministry knew about the conversation with the book’s author,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry said.
“Van Dartel was appointed as a special envoy in early April. He realized that he could no longer work with trust after the statements made and therefore decided to immediately leave his post.”
The agency noted that a successor would be named as soon as possible.
The position of special envoy for business and the reconstruction of Ukraine involves the establishment of relations between the Dutch business community, the Ukrainian authorities, and international institutions, with the restoration of Ukraine as its primary focus.
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