WASHINGTON – The United States has been without a full-fledged ambassador to Ukraine since May 2019, and this past May President Donald Trump nominated Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton (ret.) to be the next U.S. envoy in Kyiv.
Mr. Dayton is a retired lieutenant general of the U.S. Army and currently serves as the director of the George C. Marshall Center in Germany. His 40-year career has included positions within the Defense Intelligence Agency and as defense attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
As is customary in ambassadorial nomination processes, the nominee must undergo a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Though a date for the hearing hasn’t been scheduled, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) initiated a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sens. James Risch (R-Idaho) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), respectively, to express the Ukrainian community’s support for the lieutenant general’s nomination.
“Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity clearly serve U.S. national interests,” writes the UCCA in its July 13 letter. “It is vital to uphold and strengthen the strategic partnership which exists between the United States and Ukraine. While diplomacy is the key to successfully implementing a mutually beneficial dialogue, it is unfortunate that Ukraine has been without a U.S. ambassador for a lengthy period of time.”
The UCCA thanked the chairman and ranking member for their continued support for Ukraine-related issues in the U.S. Senate, including a Russia-sanctions regime, support for non-recognition of the illegal Crimean annexation, defensive military support for Ukraine and financial assistance to Ukraine as it undergoes necessary economic reforms.
The UCCA’s letter to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders concludes: “Chairman Risch and Ranking Member Menendez, the Ukrainian community endorses the administration’s nomination of Gen. Dayton and seeks your support in expediting the nomination process. Once again, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America is truly grateful for your constant support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, free from all forms of foreign aggression.”
Additional information regarding the Senate nomination process will be monitored and reported by the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), the Washington-based public affairs bureau of the UCCA.