Ukrainian President Zelensky Dismisses UK Ambassador Amid 'Gratitude' Controversy

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Ukrainian President Zelensky Dismisses UK Ambassador Amid 'Gratitude' Controversy

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Summary:

  • Ukrainian President Zelensky dismisses Vadim Prostyko, the country's UK ambassador, without providing an official reason.
  • Prostyko criticized Zelensky's response to a dispute over gratitude for British military aid during the NATO summit in Lithuania.
  • UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace's remarks about Ukraine needing to show more gratitude for weapons received were misinterpreted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked Vadim Prostyko, the country's ambassador to the UK, following a dispute over gratitude for British military aid. The dismissal comes after Prostyko criticized President Zelensky's response to the row during the NATO summit in Lithuania.

During the NATO summit, UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace had cautioned Ukraine, stating that his allies were not 'Amazon' and urged Kiev to demonstrate more gratitude for the weapons received. Prostyko, in an interview with Sky News, called Zelensky's comments 'unhealthy sarcasm' and mocked the idea of thanking Wallace daily. In response, President Zelensky's office has given no official reason for the dismissal, but it has been confirmed that Vadim Prostyko is no longer serving as an ambassador. Wallace, who later announced his intention to step down, clarified that his words were misunderstood, as Rishi Sunak distanced himself from the remarks.

Vadim Prostyko's departure creates a temporary gap in UK-Ukraine relations. He had been in his ambassadorial role since 2020 and his recent appearances at Wimbledon sparked further controversy.

Location: London, UK

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