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Roman Waschuk
Roman Waschuk
Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine
	In office; October 2014 – October 2019
Preceded by	Troy Lulashnyk
Succeeded by	Larisa Galadza
Personal details
Born	January 28, 1962 (age 62)
Nationality	Canadian
Alma mater	University of Toronto (MA)
Occupation	Diplomat

Roman Waschuk (also Roman Vashchuk, Ukrainian: Роман Ващук; born 28 January 1962 in Toronto, Ontario) has served as Ukraine's Business Ombudsman since January 1, 2022. A retired Canadian diplomat of Ukrainian ethnicity, he served as Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine from 2014 to 2019.

Early life

Waschuk's parents immigrated to Canada from Western Ukraine after the Second World War. His father was born in present-day Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, his mother born in Buchach. He studied history with focus on Central and Eastern Europe, also German and Russian, receiving 1985 a MA at University of Toronto. He worked for the Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals Juli 1985 – December 1986, Providing background information to investigators and counsel on WW2-era events in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. He is fluent in English, French, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish and Serbian. He was member of the Ukrainian Scouting organization "Plast" in Canada.

Career

1987 he began his career in the diplomatic service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada. First posted as second secretary for politics in the Canadian Embassy in Moscow, USSR. Then he subsequently served as political counsellor in Kyiv and minister-counsellor for (politics and economy in Berlin. 1991-1994 he worked on East European affairs in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada. From 1994 to 1998 he was Advisor at the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv.

In Ottawa Waschuk held the positions of a deputy director of the European Union Division, deputy director of the Policy Planning Division, director of the Global Partnership for Biological Non-Proliferation, Chemical Weapons Destruction and Redirection of Former Weapons Scientists Division, and director of the Stabilization and Reconstruction Programs Division.

From 2011 to September 2014, Waschuk served as ambassador to Serbia, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro.^[1]

From October 2014 to October 2019, he was the Ambassador of Canada in Kyiv.^[2]^[3]^[4] He replaced Troy Lulashnyk, who was Ambassador to Ukraine from November 2011 to October 2014.^[5]

He has published papers on Central European history, human security, and Canada-EU defence relations. About his time in Berlin he held a lecture at Munk School, University Toronto, titled "A Canadian in Berlin – Reflections On A Foreign Service Career And A Bilateral Relationship".^[6]

In an interview with The Canadian Press Washuk refused critics who complained that the Canadian embassy in Kyiv gave shelter to protesters during Ukraine uprising of February 2014, when his predecessor Lulashnyk was ambassador. He acknowledged the protesters were camped in the main lobby for at least a week. Waschuk also suggested no harm came of it. "From what I was told, it was several days and they left flowers on departure," he said. The opening of the doors was "a gesture designed to react and to reach out to the people suffering in the turmoil," Waschuk said.^[7]

He has served as Business Ombudsman in Ukraine since January 1, 2022.^[8]