The department noted that the creation of this post was initiated by Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga. Prior to this, Ponomarenko had been developing relations with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and intensifying interregional cooperation for “many years.” In 2021–2025, he represented Ukraine as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea and part-time to Mongolia.
“The Ambassador-at-Large will coordinate within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the search for effective mechanisms of influence on the aggressor state Russia in order to prevent torture and inhumane treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as cooperation on issues of the release of Ukrainian defenders, civilians deprived of personal freedom, and the protection of the rights of the missing. In particular, based on the results of the agreements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with representatives of the coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war and the public council at the coordination headquarters regarding the plan joint actions, including holding advocacy events, for 2026,” the message says.
Context
Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinets in interview founder of the publication “GORDON” I told Dmitry Gordon that about 1.8 thousand citizens of Ukraine were verifiedwho are in Russian captivity. The interview was published on January 3, 2026.
According to Lubinets, during preliminary exchanges on March 5 and 6, 500 Ukrainian defenders returned home. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 6,922 Ukrainians have been freed. During the Easter exchange on April 11, it was possible to return another 175 military personnel and seven civilians to Ukraine.
