Zelenskiy sacks Ukraine's ambassador to UK

Days after the ambassador openly insulted the president, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy fired Vadym Prystaiko as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom on Friday.

There was no explanation provided for the dismissal in the presidential order that stated Prystaiko had also lost his position as Ukraine’s envoy to the International Maritime Organisation.

In a recent interview with Sky News, Prystaiko was questioned about comments made by Ben Wallace, the departing British Defence Secretary, who suggested that Kyiv should be more appreciative of the weapons supply from its friends to combat Russia’s occupying forces.

Zelenskiy responded by saying Ukraine was always grateful to Britain, a staunch ally. He was also quoted by British media as saying Wallace could let him know how to express his gratitude or how “we could get up in the morning and express our words of gratitude to the minister.”

Asked whether Zelenskiy was being sarcastic, Prystaiko told Sky there was “a little bit of sarcasm” when the president “said that each and every morning he will wake up and call Ben Wallace to thank him.”

“I don’t believe that this sarcasm is healthy,” he said, adding that the Russians “have to know that we’re working together.”

The replacement for Prystaiko, a 53-year-old veteran diplomat and former vice prime minister who served as ambassador to Britain for three years, was not specified in Zelenskiy’s directive.

(With agency inputs)