Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko has been relieved of his duties by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Recently, Vadym Prystaiko openly disagreed with the president’s actions in response to the controversy surrounding the acknowledgment of British military assistance.
The dismissal of Vadym Prystaiko as ambassador came after he criticized Mr. Zelensky’s pledge to thank the UK defence minister every morning, describing it as ‘unhealthy sarcasm.’
Although Kyiv did not offer an official explanation for the decision, it confirmed that Mr. Prystaiko is no longer holding the ambassadorial position.
In a statement made this month, Ben Wallace cautioned Ukraine by highlighting that their allies could not be compared to an online retail giant like Amazon.
He emphasised that Kyiv must demonstrate appreciation for the weaponry they received to effectively persuade Western politicians for further support.
Taking the stage at the Nato summit, he addressed President Zelensky’s reproach of the military alliance’s tardiness in finalising Ukraine’s membership process.
The fallout from Mr. Wallace’s remarks ignited outrage in Kyiv, prompting the official to clarify that his words had been ‘somewhat misrepresented.’
Upon learning of Ukraine’s sentiments, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that he was surprised by the value Ukraine placed on the support extended by the United Kingdom.
‘How else can we show our gratitude?’ Mr Zelensky said in response to the defence minister’s comments.
‘We can wake up in the morning and thank the minister. Let him write to me and tell me how to thank him.’
Mr. Prystaiko last week noted the presence of sarcasm in his president’s response, and cautioning against its ‘unhealthy’ implications.
‘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 informed Sky News.
Having been stationed in London since 2020, he encountered an unexpected turn of events with President Zelensky’s announcement on Friday, resulting in his removal from the post and the termination of his role as Ukraine’s representative to the International Maritime Organization.
Only a week prior, the envoy was caught on camera at the prestigious Wimbledon tennis championship, occupying a seat in the royal box. Interestingly, this took place on the very day when Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina faced a setback in the semi-final stage.
However, the most notable dismissal was that of the controversial ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk. Known for his daring and candid social media persona, he had left a lasting impression in Germany, using his platform to make persistent calls for crucial military aid to benefit Ukraine.