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Brown suit, staring eyes, puckered mouth. This is what Iryna Venicetowa looks like at her interview date. Instead of a proper greeting, the Ukrainian ambassador said he was in shock. Have you seen the video already? That President Zelensky talking about?
He grabs his phone and starts playing a video of a brutal beheading circulating on social media. It is very blurry and is said to show a Russian warrior beheading a Ukrainian soldier with a knife. Murder lasts painfully long, blood flows.
The Ambassador refuses to accept objections to not wanting to see explicit scenes of violence, because it’s about understanding the brutality of war. Venicetova says she actually wants to talk about the economy in Ukraine first. She concludes that she no longer knows if she can do that anymore before she returns to professional mode. Forty minutes left for the meeting.
Thank you for taking the time to interview.
Iryna Venicetova: I really appreciate having you here. This is not just our war.
There are forces in Switzerland and many other countries that are increasingly suspicious of this. Support for Ukraine seems to dwindle as the war drags on.
We fight for the defense of all countries in Europe. After the Second World War, Europe promised peace. What we’re seeing right now is going in a completely different direction. And we Ukrainians have felt this for a long time. In fact, we have been at war for nine years.
You have been on duty for 100 days. Do you get the feeling that Switzerland is clearly on your side?
I meet a wide variety of people here every day and most of them are very, very friendly and human and they treat me with great warmth and openness. This is also reflected in receptivity: before the invasion only 7,000 Ukrainians lived here, now there are more than 100,000.
Lawyer Iryna Wenediktowa (born 1978) is the Ambassador of Ukraine in Bern since 10 January 2023. She replaced Artem Rybchenko, who, after four years in Switzerland, returned to Kiev as a special ambassador for reconstruction. Venicetova is seen as a close confidant of the Ukrainian president. Still, he suspended him from the post of Attorney General in July last year.
Lawyer Iryna Wenediktowa (born 1978) is the Ambassador of Ukraine in Bern since 10 January 2023. She replaced Artem Rybchenko, who, after four years in Switzerland, returned to Kiev as a special ambassador for reconstruction. Venicetova is seen as a close confidant of the Ukrainian president. Still, he suspended him from the post of Attorney General in July last year.
Is that enough for you as a political commitment?
This is a good question. In my conversations, I often get the feeling that personal views and the interests of the state are seriously diverging. My interlocutors in authorities and federal agencies represent humanitarian attitudes, but at the same time they are very professional.
In the end, Switzerland’s policy of neutrality often gets in the way.
The situation is complex. I understand that there is no easy solution, especially in an election year. I am really happy that we have such a good dialogue. The Swiss remind me of us Ukrainians. We also have a lot of dignity. We don’t like it when someone puts pressure on us. You cannot come to Ukraine and say to do this. And that doesn’t work in Switzerland either.
How do you deal with this as an ambassador to a country where hundreds of people die every day?
I am patient and happy to express my concerns hundreds or thousands of times if necessary. I always get a response when I email here. These open doors are important to me.
Considering Switzerland is your first diplomatic station, you sound like a professional diplomat.
Oh, I’m just trying to serve my country and my fellow countrymen as best I can. It is a privilege to be able to do this in a unique country like Switzerland, although it is not always easy.
Why did President Zelensky send you to Switzerland?
Better ask the president!
You have earned a reputation as an oligarch hunter in Ukraine. You will then be sent to the country with the largest financial center for cross-border asset management. This is no coincidence.
I’m really proud to have been Attorney General for two and a half years. And yes, of course I’ve also handled some oligarch cases during this time.
At the time, the criminal prosecutions against the former CEO of Ukraine’s largest bank, Kommerzbank Privatbank, and two other former top executives were seen as an anti-corruption stress test for the new government under Volodymyr Zelensky.
Yes, other prosecutors could enforce it. But no one but me wanted to deal with suspects. I am proud of it. But even more important to me is my cooperation with the International Criminal Court on war crimes and communications. Before that, I was Chair of the Legal Policy Committee in the Parliament: I was the Chair of Civil Law at the University for 14 years and served as an arbitrator in a commercial court.
To what extent does your resume make you a good ambassador for Switzerland?
I guess because I understand the situation inside and outside Ukraine. I also worked with Switzerland on the asset recovery support project. (Returning stolen assets blocked in Swiss banks to Ukraine ed.) I understand how we can make this relationship a win-win for both parties.
Was it really weird that you came to Swiss paradise from a war zone?
No, because I’m here for the benefit of my fellow countrymen. Every day I face the reality of war and here I serve my country – it doesn’t matter to me where I do it from. Every Ukrainian is fighting on his own front and we are all doing our best to win as soon as possible. Every day, every minute, we lose people: soldiers, civilians, children. There is also an entire generation that has fled.
More than five million Ukrainians have registered for temporary protection in other European countries. What does this mean for your country?
The brain drain is a big problem for the Ukrainian state. We have such smart people. But of course they try to start a new life elsewhere. And once their children go to school or kindergarten elsewhere, it becomes harder to bring them back. We need them urgently.
You asked me not to talk about your private life. do you have enemies
Of course a lot. I also remember very well how my dogs were poisoned. No one survived. But that’s what happens when you do what I do.
Can you really roam freely here?
Oh, I already have a bodyguard. But luckily, despite my background, Switzerland is very safe.
How would you describe your goal for your tenure?
First, to contribute to victory in every possible way. Second, to work with Switzerland to rebuild Ukraine. And of course to do everything for the Ukrainians here. That they feel safe, have everything they need, and have the option to come back later.
Switzerland wants to provide at least CHF 1.8 billion more to Ukraine by 2028. Are you satisfied with it?
That’s a really good perspective!
Heartfelt delivery: How disappointed are you that Switzerland blocks the re-export of urgently needed ammunition and does not want to join the task force in search of oligarch funds?
We are working on it. We’re really surprised that the War Material Law hasn’t been relaxed yet. Since then, we have been trying to explain even more in face-to-face meetings with MPs, civil servants, business and civil society representatives.
Does this bring anything?
I think re-exports will still be allowed. Because it is a legitimate position even for a neutral country. This is the same with the sanctions that Switzerland also participated in. The question of re-export should never have been legally associated with neutrality. It’s my job to discuss this with people. And I believe that our democratic values are the same.
Did Alain Berset really apologize to you for his “war frenzy” statement?
I can’t imagine a president calling an ambassador for this. Later I realized that he admitted that this was not true. We want to invite him to Ukraine, then my President can discuss different points of view with him.
Why do you think Switzerland refused to join the oligarch task force Repo?
No idea. Then it cannot even be said that they will hand over any control to the Ukrainians or the Americans. Then Switzerland itself could better keep up with dirty money. It’s also about solidarity. This is nothing but joining the International Criminal Court.
Before the war, Switzerland was the fifth largest investor in Ukraine. Many companies in Ukraine have employed IT workers. Will they be permanently relocated to other countries?
If possible, we should prevent this. But at the moment we are still seeing daily attacks in different regions. We cannot say that this or that city is safe. The war against Ukraine is too aggressive, too brutal, too barbaric.
In May, a two-day conference on business opportunities in Ukraine will be held in Lugano. Given the risk, isn’t that more begging for solidarity?
Not possible. Investments are valuable to both parties. After the war we create the state of the future. Even now you can see how good we are at digitizing compared to other countries. For example, in public services. Ukraine can excel in several areas.
However, you will eventually need to get the corruption problem under control…
Yes, this is a huge problem, the second biggest after the war. Ukrainians are also aware of this. We have a very determined, strong civil society. We have anti-corruption organizations. Special prosecutors. And a national anti-corruption agency that monitors all government officials. We also have extra meals. On the other hand, I find it strange that some companies still do business in Russia. Isn’t this a corrupt state? We are doing everything we can to fight corruption. And there will be even more after our victory.
One last question: Did you actually meet with the Russian ambassador in Bern?
No, but I saw him once from afar.
How did you react?
Not at all, because it was a diplomatic opportunity.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
