Vygaudas Ušackas (born 16 December 1964) is a Lithuanian diplomat, currently appointed as the European Union's special representative and the head of EU mission for Afghanistan.[1] Prior heading Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ušackas was the Ambassador of Lithuania to the United States and Mexico from 2001 through 2006, then Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Vygaudas Ušackas was born in 1964 in Skuodas. In 1982 he finished Skuodas school and enrolled to the Vilnius University, there he received law degree in 1990. Later he continued his studies at the University of Oslo, Norway and the Aarhus University, Denmark, specializing in international politics and trade. Between 1992 and 1996 he worked as an adviser to Lithuania's mission to NATO and European Community, soon afterwords he assumed post Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 2000 and 2001 he was the chief negotiator of Lithuania's accession to the European Union.
After the 2008 election, Andrius Kubilius presented Vygaudas Ušackas as candidate for the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs to President Valdas Adamkus.
On March 22, 2010, he was appointed by Catherine Ashton as the European Union's special envoy for Afghanistan.[2]
Usackas has been criticized as a poor choice for the important position because of his recent dismissal from his position as Lithuania's head diplomat. He was forced to leave that post after a public falling out with the president over a scandal in which the foreign minister allegedly covered up the existence of illegal CIA prisons in the country.[3]
He has two children: Raimundas, who was born in 1991, as well as Paula, born in 1993.