Уильям Лонгхерст. Фото: gov.uk
The United Kingdom has appointed a new Chargé d’Affaires to Belarus. In July 2026, William Longhurst will take up the post at the British Embassy in Minsk, replacing David Ward.
The UK government said that the current head of the diplomatic mission, David Ward, is being transferred to another position within the United Kingdom’s diplomatic service.
Longhurst will begin his duties in Minsk in July. Over the past two years, he has undergone advanced Russian-language training at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The new head of the British diplomatic mission has more than 35 years of experience in the diplomatic service. From 2019 to 2024, he served as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Switzerland and was also the United Kingdom’s Consul General to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Previously, Longhurst headed the British Embassy in Cambodia as ambassador from 2014 to 2018. He also served as Deputy Head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Department and held the position of Deputy Head of Mission in Serbia.
Over the course of his career, the diplomat has served at British embassies in Japan and South Korea, worked at the United Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and held a number of positions at the Foreign Office headquarters.
William Jesse Longhurst joined the United Kingdom’s diplomatic service in 1990. In addition to Russian, he has undergone specialized language training in German and Serbian.
The United Kingdom currently does not have an ambassador in Belarus. Following the deterioration of relations between Minsk and Western countries, diplomatic contacts have been maintained at the level of chargé d’affaires.