Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked Vadym Prystaiko, his country’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Prystaiko was reportedly dismissed after publicly criticising the president’s response to a row over gratitude for British military aid, according to the BBC.
He had called Zelensky’s promise to thank the UK defence minister every morning “unhealthy sarcasm”.
Kyiv did not disclose any official reason for the dismissal but confirmed that Prystaiko was no longer the ambassador.
Earlier this month, Ben Wallace said he warned Ukraine that its allies were “not Amazon”, saying Ukraine needed to show gratitude for the weapons it received in order to persuade Western politicians to give more.
He was speaking at the NATO summit after Zelensky criticised the military alliance for delays in making Ukraine a member.
“How else can we show our gratitude? We can wake up in the morning and thank the minister. Let him write to me and tell me how to thank him,” Zelensky said of the defence minister’s comments.
Prystaiko told Sky News there was a “little bit of sarcasm” in his president’s response, which he believed was “unhealthy”.
“We’re not expecting anybody to fight for us; we only ask for equipment,” he said, adding “Ben can call me and tell me anything he wants”.
