‘Lost in translation’: Memoir of Russia’s legendary UN envoy Vitaly Churkin presented in Moscow

Vitaly Churkin defended Moscow’s interests at the UN during one of the harshest periods in relations between Russia and the US. The diplomat died in 2017 before publishing his memoir, but this has been completed by his wife.

The book, titled ‘Lost in Translation,’ was presented at one of the Russian capital’s top book stores on Monday, gathering the diplomat’s colleagues, friends and the public. Containing the recollections of Churkin’s 40-year-long diplomatic career and some unique photos, it promises to be a truly fascinating read for those interested in what goes on behind the scenes.

© RT

Churkin started out as an ordinary translator but worked his way up to become a Foreign Ministry spokesman, and then a Deputy FM and Russia’s Ambassador to Belgium and Canada. But it was not until 2006, when he was appointed to serve as Russia’s envoy at the UN, that his rise to diplomatic stardom had begun. 

Churkin’s tenure at the UN headquarters in New York coincided with a number of major international crises, including the dispute over Kosovo’s status, the Syrian war and the onset of the conflict in Ukraine. The way Churkin handled the enormous pressure exerted on him by the US and its allies in the West impressed not just those at home, but also his political opponents. “He was trusted by his co-workers in the Foreign Ministry as well as his foreign colleagues. If he said: ‘Yes, that’s the way I think,’ it meant he wouldn’t back down. But if circumstances changed drastically – everything is possible [in international relations] – he never tried to hide anything and honestly explained why it happened and what Russia’s position was at that moment,” Irina Churkina said of her late husband at the presentation.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!