Étienne de Poncins (born 6 March 1964) is a French diplomat, serving since 2019 as the Ambassador of France to Ukraine.[1]
Etienne de Poncins | |
|---|---|
 de Poncins with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy | |
| French Ambassador to Ukraine | |
| Assumed office August 2019 | |
| President | Emmanuel Macron |
| Preceded by | Isabelle Dumont |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 March 1964 Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine, France |
De Poncins was noted as one of the last-remaining senior diplomats in Ukraine (having re-located to Lviv) amidst the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine; engaged in distributing French aid to Ukraine. De Poncins told Politico that "you are here in the difficult moments and hours. I would have felt very bad if I had left."[2] De Poncins returned to Kyiv and re-opened the French embassy in the capital on 15 April.[3]
Education and career
editDe Poncins graduated from Sciences Po and École nationale d'administration and also has a degree in history from the University of Paris.
He has served in various posting as French Ambassador; firstly to Bulgaria (2007–2010) and then to Kenya (2010–2013) and simultaneously Somalia.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ "Etienne de Poncins - Who's Who". www.whoswho.fr.
- ^ De La Baume, Maïa (1 April 2022). "'Our man in Kyiv': How war has flipped diplomats' day job". Politico Europe. Brussels. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Michael (18 April 2022). "France reopens embassy in Kyiv but warns its nationals to stay away". Radio France Internationale. Paris. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ "Etienne de Poncins | Speakers | Kyiv International Economic Forum". forumkyiv.org.
- ^ Boiteau, Victor (28 February 2022). "Guerre en Ukraine: Etienne de Poncins, l'ambassadeur «chevronné» contraint de se délocaliser à Lviv". Libération (in French). Paris. Retrieved 18 April 2022.