In this episode of PowerLunch, outgoing wartime Ambassador to Denmark Mykhailo Vidujnik gives his final interview and takes a deep dive into the new global geopolitical landscape after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Palestine. ing.
Mykhailo Vydynik, the wartime ambassador to Denmark and Ukraine, is retiring.Photo: Gregers Tico
In this episode of PowerLunch, outgoing Ambassador of Ukraine to Denmark Mykhailo Vydynik gives his final interview.
In a conversation with Danish publicist Nikolai Rossen, Vidujnik delves into topics surrounding his wartime ambassadorship and the new global geopolitical landscape following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I probably didn’t sleep until May,” Vydynik says, recalling the relentless stream of messages he received every night. Each message contained important information about the then-new invasion of Russia, which began on February 24, 2022. He couldn’t sleep because there was an important update.
Despite new conflicts erupting in the Middle East and the media turning away from Ukraine, Vydynik is adamant that Ukraine is not competing for attention with Israel.
He highlighted the interaction of the effects of the two wars, such as the rise in ammunition prices after the October 7 Hamas attack, noting that this has had a significant impact on the total cost of the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Vydynik worries that people won’t pay enough attention to Russia. He emphasized “when” rather than “if” Russia attacks a NATO member state, and also speculated about Russia’s future moves. He added that Kosovo could become a potential hotspot for Russian sabotage and we need to closely monitor this country in our own backyard.
Vydynik even suggested that Russia may be involved in the Hamas attack, adding further complexity to the geopolitical situation.
The episode ends with a chilling prophecy about Russia’s strategy if Ukraine collapses. Ukraine, with a population of 40 million people, could become a recruiting ground for Russia and put further pressure on NATO.
As his final words to Denmark, Mr. Vydynik chose the word “mangetak” to describe the support his country has provided to Ukraine during this time of need.
Listen to PowerLunch by Mikhailo Vydoinyk here.