The reason for the meeting was a professional holiday – The Day of Russian Diplomatic Service. There were many guests (fellow diplomats, accredited in Ukraine, politicians, businessmen, lawmakers, and cultural and media representatives), as the soiree was the first official reception of the new Ambassador of Russia Mikhail Zurabov. However, the host was absent from the event (as the embassy workers explained, “Zurabov was urgently called to Moscow”). It seems that the ambassador decided to wait until the presidential election results are confirmed. “In the nearest future the relations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation will be ‘reloaded.’ I am absolutely convinced that the format of relations will change. It is time for us to realize certain economic projects, which were stalled for the last five years,” said Zurabov in the “one minute interview” with the RBC-Ukraine agency.
Since Mikhail Zurabov was absent, the diplomatic salon was opened by Vsevolod Loskutov, charge d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. He reminded everybody that, in spite of the fact that The Day of Russian Diplomatic Service holiday is still young (it was established in 2002), the date of February 10 was not picked by accident. The scholars poured over the archives and found a document containing the earliest reference to an Ambassador decree issued by Ivan the Terrible, establishing the Russian foreign department, a prototype of the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It dated back to February 10, 1549. The soiree continued in the tradition of diplomatic salons, which were popular in the times of the ex-ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin.
“There was never a ‘freezing point’ in our relationships,” Loskutov told The Day, “Bilateral relations have developed in different directions: economic, humanitarian and other. There is a dialogue taking place within the framework of Russian-Ukrainian interstate commission between two Ministries of Foreign Affairs; the ministers and department heads meet regularly. We discuss many issues, which concern both bilateral relations and international ones. We cannot say that we agree completely on everything, but we have a specific professional dialogue. There are many projects which can be realized for the benefit of both countries. We survived the crisis. There is a Russian and Ukrainian experience, as our economies are closely related, and there is a common field of activity. For example, two years ago we achieved record levels of trade between Russia and Ukraine since independence, with a turnover of 40bn dollars. We see some political and historical issues differently, but it does not hamper our good neighborly relations. It is important to hear each other, and seek solutions and compromises. Former ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin worked very effectively – with positive results in the economic and humanitarian spheres. Let us remember that thanks to the patronage of Chernomyrdin it was possible to hold a tour of the Bolshoi Theater, which did not perform on Kyiv’s stage for 50 years (!). The Ukrainian audience saw the premieres of the Sovremennik Theater at the Mariinsky Theater. The current ambassador Mikhail Zurabov will not only keep the traditions, but also develop them. There were already meetings with the art directors of the leading theaters of Ukraine, Bohdan Stupka (Franko Theater) and Mykhailo Rieznikovych (Russian Drama Theater). There are intentions to assist Lviv’s Zankovetska Theater; soirees and other events will be held in the embassy. This year will mark the 65th anniversary of victory in World War II, and there will be many more events and projects.”
