LAVROV-POROSHENKO DEAL ON NEW RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 000125 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020 TAGS: PREL UP RS SUBJECT: LAVROV-POROSHENKO DEAL ON NEW RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE Classified By: A/DCM Colin Cleary for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) At a January 26 meeting with the Ambassador, Ukrainian FM Poroshenko explained how he had cut a deal with Russian FM Lavrov to facilitate the arrival of the new Russian ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail Zurabov. Moscow had burned all bridges with Ukrainian President Yushchenko and had not wanted to send a new ambassador to Kyiv until Yushchenko left office following the February 7 Ukrainian runoff election. On the other hand, both sides were interested in moving forward expeditiously on a number of bilateral issues. Poroshenko therefore got Lavrov to agree that Amb. Zurabov would arrive in Kyiv bearing written credentials addressed to Ukrainian President Yushchenko, as required by protocol and Ukrainian national sensitivities. Indeed, FM Poroshenko even showed the credential document, with Yushchenko's name, to Ukrainian TV cameras. However, Zurabov will not formally present his credentials until the new Ukrainian president has taken office, at which time he will have a new document with the new Ukrainian president's name written in place of Yushchenko's. In this way, a) the sitting Ukrainian president was shown due respect; and b) Zurabov was allowed to arrive and begin working; but c) the Russians were not required to suffer the indignity of Zurabov presenting his credentials to Yushchenko. ¶2. (C) Zurabov is indisputably a Putin man, said Poroshenko, adding that Zurabov made a good impression by making his first statement to the press here in Ukrainian. Zurabov will be presenting a list of areas for cooperation as part of the bilateral "reset." The one area Poroshenko mentioned was trivial -- the possible coordination of an announcement about changing the age of retirement in both countries. Poroshenko said he asked Zurabov if he wanted to talk about the Russian Black Sea Fleet; Zurabov indicated that it is not a topic for immediate discussion. TEFFT