Zelensky fires Ukraine's ambassador to UK after criticism
(last modified Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:03:32 GMT )
Jul 21, 2023 12:03 UTC
  •  Zelensky fires Ukraine's ambassador to UK after criticism

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the country's ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, for criticizing the president's response to a dispute over British military aid.

Prystaiko had criticized Zelensky's response to British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace's suggestions that Ukraine should show greater appreciation for arms supplies from its allies.

Zelensky signed a decree dismissing Prystaiko, which was published on the presidential website, without giving a reason for issuing the order.

The dispute began when Wallace told at a NATO meeting in Vilnius this month that the UK was not an Amazon arms delivery service to Ukraine and suggested that Kiev could express more "gratitude" to London.

Wallace recalled that after receiving a list of weapons requests from Ukraine last year, he told officials in Kiev "I am not Amazon."

Since the beginning of the military conflict in Ukraine, Britain has been one of the main donors of arms supplies to Ukraine while also giving training services to the Ukrainian forces.

At a press conference at the summit, Zelensky responded by saying that he did not know how to clearly express Ukraine's gratitude, adding: “We could wake up in the morning and express our words of gratitude to the minister personally.”

But the Ukrainian diplomat agreed that Zelensky responded to Wallace "with a bit of sarcasm."

“I don’t believe that this sarcasm is healthy. We don’t have to show the Russians that we have something between us, they have to know that we are working together,” Prystaiko said.

“If anything happens, Ben can call me and tell me everything he wants,” the diplomat said.

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