Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday made official by decree the resignation of Russia’s Permanent Representative to the European Union (EU), Vladimir Chizhov, who had held office for 17 years, the official TASS news agency reported.
According to the presidential decree, the 68-year-old diplomat will simultaneously resign from his duties as “Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community in Brussels”.
Chizhov had already announced his resignation and organized a farewell reception on 8 September in Brussels, which was boycotted by EU diplomats.
According to the pan-European publication Euractiv, Chizhov. at the time made “sarcastic remarks” about the EU, but failed to mention the problems that led to an all-time low in relations with Russia, namely the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 this year.
“As one of the leading European figures told me years ago, the European Union continues to amaze. (…) Those of you who represent non-EU countries will testify that the EU has not been an easy partner for anyone,” he said. he at the time.
“It is no longer comfortable for me to act as a living monument to 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.
Prior to his appointment as Russia’s representative to the EU in 2005, Chizhov served as Deputy Foreign Minister for three years.
The name of Chizhov’s successor is still unknown, which must be ratified by each of the EU member states.
Source: DN
