{{Short description|Ukrainian diplomat (born 1970)}} {{family name hatnote|Volodymyrovych|Prystaiko|lang=Eastern Slavic}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Vadym Prystaiko | native_name = {{nobold|Вадим Пристайко}} | native_name_lang = uk | image = Vadym Prystaiko, Ambassador of Ukraine in 2023 (cropped).jpg | caption = Prystaiko in 2023 | office = [[List of ambassadors of Ukraine to the United Kingdom|Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom]] | president = Volodymyr Zelenskyy | prime_minister = Denys Shmyhal | term_start = 20 July 2020 | term_end = 21 July 2023 | predecessor = [[Natalia Galibarenko]] | successor = [[Valerii Zaluzhnyi]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/03/07/ukraines-ex-army-chief-zaluzhny-appointed-ambassador-to-uk-a84381 |title=Ukraine's Ex-Army Chief Zaluzhny Appointed Ambassador to U.K. |publisher=[[The Moscow Times]] |date=2024-03-07 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=themoscowtimes.com |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/world/europe/ukraine-uk-valery-zaluzhny.html |title=Zelensky Names Ukraine's Ex-Top General Ambassador to U.K. |date=2024-03-07 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |author=Constant Méheut |location=Kyiv |url-access=limited }}</ref> | office1 = [[First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine]]<br>for [[EU-Ukraine relations|European Relations]] | president1 = Volodymyr Zelenskyy | prime_minister1 = [[Denys Shmyhal]] | term_start1 = 4 March 2020 | term_end1 = 4 June 2020<ref name="4June2020666837">"[https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/666837.html Rada with 255 votes backs appointment of Stefanyshyna as deputy PM for European Integration]", [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (4 June 2020)</ref> | predecessor1 = [[Dmytro Kuleba]] | successor1 = [[Olha Stefanishyna]]<ref name="4June2020666837"/> | office2 = [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] | president2 = [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] | prime_minister2 = [[Oleksiy Honcharuk]] | term_start2 = 29 August 2019 | term_end2 = 4 March 2020 | predecessor2 = [[Pavlo Klimkin]] | successor2 = [[Dmytro Kuleba]] | office3 = [[Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada|Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada]] | term_start3 = 8 November 2012 | term_end3 = 26 November 2014 | predecessor3 = [[Ihor Ostash]] | successor3 = [[Andriy Shevchenko (politician)|Andriy Shevchenko]] | office4 = Ukrainian Ambassador to [[NATO]] | term_start4 = 7 July 2017 | term_end4 = 29 August 2019 | predecessor4 = [[Yehor Bozhok]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|02|20|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Kiliya]], [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukrainian SSR]], Soviet Union | party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] | alma_mater = [[Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute]] }} '''Vadym Volodymyrovych Prystaiko''' ({{langx|uk|Вадим Володимирович Пристайко}}, {{IPA|uk|wɐˈdɪm woloˈdɪmɪrowɪtʃ prɪˈstɑjko|IPA}}; born 20 February 1970) is a Ukrainian diplomat who was Ukraine's [[ambassador]] to the [[United Kingdom]]. He was appointed by [[President of Ukraine|President]] [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] on 20 July 2020 and held the position until he was dismissed by Zelenskyy three years later.<ref name="260065PristaikBambassador">{{cite news |title=Zelensky appointed Pristaika ambassador to Britain|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2020/07/20/7260065/ |work=[[Ukrainska Pravda]] |date=20 July 2020|language=uk}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №287/2020|url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/2872020-34433|access-date=2021-04-13|website=Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України|language=uk}}</ref>
Prystaiko is a former [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine)|Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/29/7224798/|title = Пристайка призначили міністром закордонних справ}}</ref> and former Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine. Between 2014 and 2019, he was also the [[Ukrainian ambassador to Canada]] between 2012 and 2014 and the head of the Mission of Ukraine to [[NATO]] from 7 July 2017 to 29 August 2019. In May 2019, Prystaiko served as the Deputy Head of the [[Presidential Administration of Ukraine|Presidential Administration]] for foreign policy issues.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190523041250/https://112.international/ukraine-top-news/zelensky-appoints-prystaiko-as-deputy-head-of-presidential-administration-39979.html Zelensky appoints Prystaiko as Deputy Head of Presidential Administration]}}, 112.international, 22 May 2019</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Prystaiko was appointed as a Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration|date=4 June 2019 |url=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytics/2714162-bogdan-sefir-rabosapka-na-bankovij-rozpovili-hto-za-so-vidpovidae-v-ap.html}}</ref> He is a member of the [[National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine]] since 31 May 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №340/2019|url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/3402019-27277|access-date=2021-04-13|website=Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України|language=uk}}</ref> He is also former Vice Prime Minister for [[Ukraine–European Union relations|European]] and [[NATO|Euro-Atlantic Integration]] of Ukraine, serving from 4 March 2020 to 4 June 2020.
== Early life== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=September 2024}} Prystaiko was born on 20 February 1970 in the city of [[Kiliya]] ([[Odessa Oblast|Odesa Oblast]]), [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukrainian SSR]], Soviet Union. He went to school in [[Odesa]], [[Kyiv]], and [[Zaporizhia]]. Eventually, the family settled in Kyiv.
In 1994, Prystaiko graduated ''[[Latin honors|cum laude]]'' from the [[Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute|Kyiv Polytechnic Institute's]] [[Computer science|Faculty of Computer Science]]. In 1998, he received a [[master's degree]] from the [[Ukrainian State University of Finance and International Trade]]. In addition to his native Ukrainian, he is fluent in [[Russian language|Russian]] and [[English language|English]].
==Career== Prystaiko began his career in the [[Privately held company|private business]] sector. He was a co-founder of one of the first Ukrainian [[Internet service provider|Internet providers]] and [[electronic media]] ''Electronni Visti''.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In 1994, following his family's tradition of government service, he obtained a position at the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of Ukraine.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} At that time, the Ministry was expanding rapidly as Ukraine began to negotiate with [[GATT]]/[[WTO]].{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In 1997, he took a position in the economic section of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine]], where he tried to develop trade with Asian countries.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} It was the most important task because, at that time, the Ministry initiated negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the GATT/WTO and started to look for new opportunities for Ukrainian business in the markets, especially in Africa and Asia. In 1997, he moved to the Asia-Pacific Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In 2000, Prystaiko became a consul to [[Sydney]], Australia, where he was involved in political and economic issues.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In 2002, he started working at the Foreign Policy Directorate of the Administration of the President of Ukraine [[Leonid Kuchma]].{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In December 2004, Prystaiko was appointed as a political [[Diplomatic rank|counselor]] to the [[Embassy of Ukraine, Ottawa|Embassy of Ukraine in Canada]]. Two years later, he became the acting ''chargé d'affaires'' (temporary counsel for Ukraine in Canada).{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In 2007, he was a part of Ukraine's NATO negotiating team and served as the Deputy Director-General for NATO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
In 2009, he became Deputy Chief of the Mission at the [[Embassy of Ukraine, Washington, D.C.|Embassy of Ukraine in Washington D.C.]]{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
On 8 November 2012, the President of Ukraine [[Viktor Yanukovich]] appointed Prystaiko as Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada.<ref>[http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/15126.html УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 630/2012] Presidential order of appointment of Prystaiko as Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 833/2014 Про звільнення В. Пристайка з посад Надзвичайного і Повноважного Посла України в Канаді та Представника України при Міжнародній організації цивільної авіації (ІКАО) |url=http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/18340.html }}</ref> He became also a Ukrainian representative in the [[International Civil Aviation Organization|International Civil Aviation Organisation]].<ref>[http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/15287.html УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 764/2012] Presidential order on appointment of Prystaiko as Ukrainian representative in the International Civil Aviation Organisation.</ref> [[File:Secretary Pompeo Meets With Ukrainian Foreign Minister Prystaiko (49469749958).jpg|left|thumb|Prystaiko meets with [[United States Secretary of State|U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Mike Pompeo|Michael R. Pompeo]] in [[Kyiv|Kyiv, Ukraine]] on 31 January 2020.]] In December 2014, he was named Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the apparatus under Foreign Minister [[Pavlo Klimkin]].<ref>[http://www.aif.ua/politic/ukraine/1411152 Ambassador Prystaiko named Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and head of the apparatus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717213100/http://www.aif.ua/politic/ukraine/1411152 |date=17 July 2019}}, Argumenty i fakty Ukraine, 19 December 2014)</ref>
He was Head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO from 7 July 2017 until 29 August 2019.
On 22 May 2019, Prystaiko was appointed Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration by the decree of the President of Ukraine. He was a Member of the National Investment Council (21 June 2019).<ref>{{Cite web |title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №423/2019 |url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/4232019-27637|access-date=13 April 2021 |website=Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України |language=uk}}</ref>
On 29 August 2019, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in the Government of [[Oleksiy Honcharuk]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Рада звільнила Кабмін Гройсмана|url=https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rada-uvolila-kabmin-groysmana-1567102535.html |access-date=13 April 2021 |website=РБК-Украина |language=ru}}</ref> But on 4 March 2020, he was released from the post and appointed Vice Prime Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration in the Government of [[Denys Shmyhal]]. On 4 June 2020, he was released from this post.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Парламент звільнив віцепрем'єра Пристайка |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-prystaiko-vidstavka/30652157.html |access-date=13 April 2021 |website=Радіо Свобода|date=4 June 2020 |language=uk }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/667-IX |access-date=13 April 2021 |website=zakon.rada.gov.ua |title=Про звільнення Пристайка В.В. з посади Віце-прем'єр-міністра з питань європейської та євроатлантичної інтеграції України}}</ref>
From 20 July 2020 to 21 July 2023, he was [[Embassy of Ukraine, London|Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Зеленський призначив Пристайка послом у Британії |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-prystayko-yide-v-london/30738097.html |access-date=13 April 2021 |website=Радіо Свобода |date=20 July 2020 |language=uk }}</ref>
On 30 December 2020, Prystaiko became a Representative of Ukraine in the [[International Maritime Organization]] (IMO).<ref>{{Cite web |title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №611/2020 |url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/6112020-36229|access-date=13 April 2021 |website=Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України |language=uk}}</ref>
In February 2022, during the [[prelude to the Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Prystaiko said UK defence secretary's [[Ben Wallace (politician)|Ben Wallace]]'s comparison of diplomatic efforts with [[Russia]] to the [[appeasement]] policies of the 1930s was unhelpful.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine tensions: US defends evacuating embassy as Zelensky urges calm |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60365017 |work=BBC News |date=13 February 2022}}</ref> Prystaiko warned, "There's panic everywhere, not just in people's minds, but in financial markets as well" and it was "hurting the Ukrainian economy on sort of the same level as people leaving the embassy".<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine criticises Ben Wallace's appeasement comparison with diplomacy efforts |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ben-wallace-moscow-ukraine-defence-secretary-russia-b2014119.html |work=The Independent |date=13 February 2022}}</ref>
On 21 July 2023, Prystaiko was sacked as Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom by President Zelenskyy using a Presidential decree. No reason as to the sacking was given. He was also sacked from his role as the Ukrainian representative to the [[International Maritime Organization]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 July 2023 |title=Ukraine's Zelensky sacks ambassador to UK Prystaiko after criticism|language=en | author= Mattea Bubalo|work=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66267136|access-date=21 July 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Prystayko's father {{ill|Volodymyr Ilyich Pristayko|uk|Пристайко Володимир Ілліч}} (1941–2008) was Lieutenant General of Justice and Vice director of the [[Security Service of Ukraine|SBU]], and in 1991 he started working in a commission of adaptation of laws to EU standards and on rehabilitation of politically repressed. He was an Honored Lawyer of Ukraine.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
He is married to Inna Prystaiko.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Inna Prystaiko and Vadym Prystaiko|url=http://canada.mfa.gov.ua/ua/press-center/news/11891-velikodne-privitannya-posla-vadima-pristajka-ta-pani-inni-pristajko|access-date=13 April 2021|archive-date=15 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015060524/http://canada.mfa.gov.ua/ua/press-center/news/11891-velikodne-privitannya-posla-vadima-pristajka-ta-pani-inni-pristajko|url-status=dead}}</ref> They have two sons. {{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
==See also== *[[Honcharuk Government]] *[[Shmyhal Government]] *[[List of foreign ministers in 2019]] *[[List of foreign ministers in 2020]] *[[Embassy of Ukraine, Ottawa]] *[[Embassy of Ukraine, London]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * [http://canada.mfa.gov.ua/ua Пристайко Вадим Володимирович] – Vadym Volodomyrovych Prystaiko * [http://mfa.gov.ua/en/about-mfa/structure/officials Vadym Prystaiko], Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and head of the apparatus * [http://canada.mfa.gov.ua/ua/embassy/history list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105202804/http://canada.mfa.gov.ua/ua/embassy/history |date=5 November 2019 }} of Ukrainian ambassadors in Canada * [https://www.linkedin.com/pub/vadym-prystaiko/22/19b/711 Vadym Prystaiko] Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada * [http://www.empireclub.org/events/mr-vadym-prystaiko-ukrainian-ambassador-to-canada/ Event of Empire Club on 4 April 2014, personal career of Vadym Prystaiko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924000225/http://www.empireclub.org/events/mr-vadym-prystaiko-ukrainian-ambassador-to-canada/ |date=24 September 2015 }} {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Pavlo Klimkin]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]|years=2019–2020}} {{s-aft|after=[[Dmytro Kuleba]]}} {{s-end}} {{Foreign Ministers of Ukraine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prystaiko, Vadym}} [[Category:1970 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century diplomats]] [[Category:21st-century diplomats]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Ukraine to Canada]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Ukraine to the United Kingdom]] [[Category:European integration ministers of Ukraine]] [[Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Ukraine]] [[Category:Heads of mission of Ukraine to NATO]] [[Category:Permanent representatives of Ukraine to the International Maritime Organization]] [[Category:Kyiv Polytechnic Institute alumni]] [[Category:National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine]] [[Category:People from Kiliia]] [[Category:Vice prime ministers of Ukraine]] [[Category:Ukrainian State University of Finance and International Trade alumni]]