Russian President Vladimir Putin made official on Monday, by decree, the dismissal of Russia’s permanent representative to the European Union (EU), Vladimir Chizhov, who had been in office for 17 years, the official TASS news agency reported.
The 68-year-old diplomat leaves his duties simultaneously as “permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community in Brussels,” according to the presidential decree.
Chizhov had already announced that he would step down and gave a farewell reception on September 8 in Brussels, which was boycotted by EU diplomats.
At the time, according to the pan-European publication Euractiv, Chizhov made “sarcastic comments” about the EU, but did not mention the issues that led to a historic low point in relations with Russia, namely the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Russia. Ukraine on February 24 this year.
“As one of Europe’s leading figures told me years ago, the European Union never ceases to amaze. (…) Those of you who represent non-EU countries will testify that the EU has never been an easy partner for no one”. she said at the time.
“It is no longer comfortable for me to act as a living monument of the strategic partnership between Russia and the EU. There will be no return to previous relations with the European Union”, he added, quoted by the Greek publication Athens News.
Before his appointment as Russia’s representative to the EU in 2005, Chizhov was Deputy Foreign Minister for three years.
The name of Chizhov’s successor, who must be ratified by each of the EU member states, is still unknown.
Source: TSF
