List of ambassadors of Australia to Ukraine

The Ambassador of Australia to Ukraine is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to Ukraine. The position has the rank and status of an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and is currently held by Melissa O'Rourke since 30 May 2017. The embassy is currently based with the Canadian Embassy in Kiev.

Ambassador of Australia to Ukraine
Incumbent
Melissa O'Rourke
since 30 May 2017
StyleHis Excellency
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderCavan Hogue
(resident in Moscow)
Formation10 January 1992
WebsiteAustralian Embassy, Ukraine

History of relations

Ukraine and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1942 when Australia opened channels with the Soviet Union (which included the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic), although independent relations did not occur until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of a fully independent Ukraine in late 1991. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991, Australia acted to recognise the new states of the Commonwealth of Independent States on 26 December 1991. Non-resident accreditation to Ukraine, based with the Australian Embassy in Moscow, was later established from 10 January 1992, with the Australian Ambassador in Moscow, Cavan Hogue, presenting his credentials to the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk on 9 March 1992.[1] Accreditation was transferred to the new interim embassy established in Kiev in November 2014 following the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine.[2] From 5 November 1992 to the opening of a resident embassy in 2014, Australia maintained a Consulate in Kiev headed by an Honorary Consul, Dr Serhiy Nikolaevich Berezovenko.[1]

The first resident ambassador, Doug Trappett, who was previously Deputy Head of Mission in Rome, had been sent to Kiev in December 2014 to deal with matters relating to the controversial downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which led to the deaths of 27 Australian citizens.[3][4] Trappett presented his credentials on 14 January 2015.[5]

Although initially considered an interim measure for 12 months, pending the resolution of the conflicts in the region, with the stalemating of various issues and the hardening of Ukrainian-Russian relations, the embassy's term of existence was extended in February 2016 to September 2016.[6] In September 2016, the decision was taken by foreign minister Julie Bishop to extend the embassy's term for a further two years with a resident diplomatic presence noting that it would allow Australia: "to work alongside their Ukrainian partners in close cooperation and further develop bilateral ties between the two countries."[7]

Office-holders

Ambassadors resident in Moscow
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Cavan Hogue10 January 1992November 1994
Geoffrey BentleyNovember 1994November 1998
Ruth Pearce18 November 199829 January 2002
Leslie Rowe18 December 2002February 2005
Bob Tyson28 February 2005June 2008[8]
Margaret TwomeyJune 20082009[9]

Ambassadors resident in Vienna
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Michael Potts20092013

Ambassadors resident in Warsaw
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Jean Dunn20132014[10]

Ambassadors resident in Kiev
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Doug Trappett12 December 2014March 2016[3]
Bruce Edwards (Chargé d’Affaires)March 201630 May 2017[7]
Melissa O'Rourke30 May 2017present[11]

See also

References
  1. "Diplomatic and consular relations - First Australian ambassador to Ukraine - Opening of Australian consulate in Ukraine" (PDF). AustLII. Australian Year Book of International Law. 1992. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  2. "Political relations between Ukraine and Australia". Embassy of Ukraine in Australia. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  3. Abbott, Tony (12 December 2014). "First Resident Ambassador to Ukraine" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
  4. Wroe, David (21 November 2014). "Australia to host Ukrainian leader, open embassy in Kiev". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  5. "Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olena Zerkal received Ambassador of Australia to Ukraine Douglas Robert Trappett". Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. 14 January 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  6. Bishop, Julie (10 February 2016). "Extension of Interim Australian Embassy in Kyiv" (Press release). Australian Government.
  7. Bishop, Julie (29 September 2016). "Australian Government extends diplomatic presence in Ukraine" (Press release). Australian Government.
  8. Downer, Alexander (28 January 2005). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
  9. Smith, Stephen (30 April 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016.
  10. Rudd, Kevin (8 December 2011). "Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador to Poland" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015.
  11. Bishop, Julie (30 May 2017). "Ambassador to Ukraine". Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 4 June 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
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