Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked Vadym Prystaiko, his country’s ambassador to the UK.
Prystaiko had recently criticised the president’s response to a row over gratitude for British military aid.
He had called Zelensky’s promise to thank the UK defence minister every morning “unhealthy sarcasm”.
Prystaiko claimed last week that his president’s remark contained “a little bit of sarcasm,” which he considered to be “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,” he told Sky News.
Kyiv gave no official reason for the dismissal but confirmed that Prystaiko was no longer ambassador.
Earlier this month, Ben Wallace said he had warned Ukraine that its allies were “not Amazon”, saying Kyiv needed to show gratitude for 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.
Wallace’s remarks had stirred anger in Kyiv and he later said his words had been “somewhat misrepresented”.
He had been in his post in London since 2020 but on Friday Zelensky issued a presidential decree announcing his sacking, saying he had also been removed as Ukraine’s representative to the International Maritime Organisation.
The envoy was spotted watching the Wimbledon tennis championship in the royal box only last week when Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina was knocked out in the semi-final.
Zelensky has fired ambassadors before, dismissing five at once a year ago in what was seen as a reshuffle.
