It appears more like rotation than Sensation

On March 29, like on the eve of electing the new tenant of the White House, word spread again about the likely early replacement of the US Ambassador to Ukraine Carlos Pascual. The difference is the candidate has been named this time. What is more, all this looks true.

Congressman Bob Schaffer (Republican, Colorado), now in Ukraine to monitor the elections, has confirmed in several interviews that he had talked with the White House about his possible appointment as ambassador to Ukraine. Although Rep. Schaffer, who has visited Ukraine more than once this year, said there was no formal proposal, he characterized the idea as “intriguing.” Bob Schaffer is known above all, as an advocate of Ukraine, author of a bill to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment (on trade restrictions) with respect to Ukraine, and cochairman of the Congressional Caucus on Ukraine.

Diplomatic sources did not conceal that Mr. Pascual, who was close to the Democratic administration when he worked at the US State Department and who really wanted to be ambassador to Ukraine (ambassador is a life title in the US), developed certain problems after the Republicans had won the elections. But The Day was reminded at the US Embassy that a US ambassador’s term is two and a half to three years, so, accordingly, Mr. Pascual can finish his work at this post in the summer of next year. Kyiv knew that Steven Pifer would be replaced by none other than Pascual well before it happened (Congress delayed the appointment of several ambassadors due to budgetary debates). Moreover, it has always been an American tradition to keep as long as possible in secret the appointment of a career diplomat, not a politician, as ambassador.

US sources single out two points. Firstly, Mr. Schaffer has now reached such prestige that he is being visited by practically all Ukrainian delegations visiting the United States. The Congressional caucus he co-chairs aims to strengthen strategic partnership between Ukraine and the US as well as to keep congressmen better informed about the Ukrainian situation. It is this body that in fact organizes functions as part of the US- Ukrainian political dialogue. Secondly, Mr. Schaffer, who is to end his Congressional term next year, has already announced he is not going to run again.

Mr. Schaffer very simply explains his interest in Ukraine, “Communism will not be able to stage a comeback to Eastern Europe without Ukraine.” Incidentally, his mother was Ukrainian. Although Mr. Schaffer understands Ukrainian, he spoke to Ukrainian journalists in English.