Outgoing Ukrainian Ambassador praises solidarity of Czechs with his home country

Yevhen Perebiinis, who was recalled from his position as Ambassador to the Czech Republic by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, has praised the solidarity of Czechs with Ukraine after Russia’s invasion of the country in February. Speaking to Czech Television, the ambassador said that he will never forget the large numbers of people who turned up to protest the invasion and the amount of financial support that Czech citizens sent to the embassy account for funding Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

He said that his main goal as ambassador when he arrived in Prague was to change how Czechs perceive Ukrainians and that, due to the war, he believes some progress has been made in this area. “I hope that Czechs don’t just see Ukrainians as hard working, but also as a brave people now,” the ambassador said, adding that Ukraine is not just a country of workers and cleaners but also of painters, doctors and university professors.

The ambassador said that it is normal for diplomats to rotate and that he was not surprised by president Zelensky’s decision to recall him. It has not yet been announced who will replace him.