Charis Christodoulidou, Koh Kyungsok, and Ilze Rūse presented their letters of credence to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

September 15, 2026

On Tuesday, September 15, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received the new ambassadors from Cyprus, the Republic of Korea, and Latvia for the presentation of their letters of credence. The ceremonies took place at the official residence on the Spreebogen in Berlin, which serves as the Federal President’s official residence while Bellevue Palace is undergoing renovation.

‍Charis Christodoulidou, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus, was the first to present her credentials. She succeeds Maria Papakyriakou. Christodoulidou now officially represents Cyprus in Germany. The Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists her as Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Next, Koh Kyungsok, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, presented his credentials. Koh already has extensive experience in Germany. Before his appointment as ambassador in Berlin, he served, among other roles, as Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Frankfurt am Main. In that role, he focused, among other things, on relations with German institutions and on cooperation in areas such as business, technology, and cybersecurity.

The third to be accredited was Ilze Rūse, the new Ambassador of Latvia to Germany. With the presentation of her credentials on September 15, she officially assumed her post as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to Germany. She succeeds Alda Vanaga, who had held the post since 2022.

Upon presenting her credentials on September 15, she officially assumed her post as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to Germany. She succeeds Alda Vanaga, who had held the post since 2022.

Rūse has a diplomatic career spanning some 30 years. Among other posts, she served as Latvia’s ambassador to the Netherlands and as non-resident ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. From 2021 to 2025, she represented Latvia as ambassador to Sweden. At the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she also headed the European Affairs Division and the Department for International Organizations and Human Rights.

In her new role in Berlin, Rūse says she intends, in particular, to strengthen cooperation between Latvia and Germany in the areas of security and the economy. Germany is a strategic partner of Latvia in the European Union and NATO, she explained on the occasion of her accreditation.

With the accreditation of Christodoulidou, Koh, and Rūse, three additional ambassadorial posts in Berlin have been filled. The presentation of their letters of credence marks the official start of their duties as diplomatic representatives of their respective countries in Germany.