Russian Ambassador to North Macedonia Reports Limited Bilateral Cooperation
Dmitry Zykov notes that while security is maintained, most North Macedonian officials avoid diplomatic contact
Quick Look
Russia’s new ambassador to North Macedonia, Dmitry Zykov, reports that bilateral cooperation remains minimal as most local officials avoid contact with Russian diplomats, though he notes the embassy faces no direct security threats.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Since 2022, diplomatic relations between Russia and several European nations have deteriorated, leading to reduced communication and cooperation.
Most officials in North Macedonia have avoided communication with Russian diplomats, so there has been no response to proposals to restore bilateral cooperation, Russia’s new ambassador to Skopje, Dmitry Zykov, told TASS in his first interview.
As a newly-appointed ambassador, Zykov has already met with the Balkan country’s senior officials, including President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski to whom he presented his credentials. Zykov said he had also met with Ivan Stoilkovic, North Macedonian deputy prime minister for inter-community relations. "Some officials maintain working contacts with the embassy and provide assistance in solving specific issues," the Russian diplomat noted.
"Fortunately, unlike our colleagues in a number of other countries, we are not facing pressure, outright rudeness, assaults on the embassy’s security or casual intolerance. However, since 2022, communication with Russian diplomats has been reduced to a minimum, with the majority of local officials, including at the Foreign Ministry, avoiding contact, while proposals to restore bilateral cooperation have also gone unanswered," he lamented.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Continued limited engagement between the two nations.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific issues are the working contacts currently addressing?
- Will there be a formal response from the North Macedonian government regarding the ambassador's claims?
