Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday fired his ambassador to the United Kingdom Vadym Prystaiko after the latter criticised his reaction to British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace's contentious remarks suggesting that Ukraine has not shown enough "gratitude" for the financial support it has received for the ongoing war against Russia.
Reacting to Wallace's unexpected remarks, Zelenskyy said during the NATO Summit in Lithuania last week, "“I just don’t know what he means. How else should we thank him? Well, let him write to me and tell me how I need to thank people so that we can be fully grateful. We can also wake up in the morning and thank the minister personally."
Later, Zelenskyy claimed that he told his defence secretary to call Wallace and convey 'thank you' personally every morning. Prystaiko said that Zelenskyy's response to Wallace's remarks amounted to 'unhealthy' sarcasm, reported CNN.
"I don’t believe this sarcasm is healthy," Prystaiko said during an interview, while speaking on Zelenskyy's remarks. "We don’t have to show the Russians that we have something between us. They have to know that we are working together. If anything happens, Ben can call me and tell me everything he wants," he added.
In a blunt intervention, Wallace last week argued that Ukraine should keep in mind that the UK is not an online shopping platform-- "Amazon" for weapons and added Kyiv might be wise to let its supporters "see gratitude". “Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude,” he further told reporters at the summit.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman, Max Blain, downplayed the remarks. “I think you have heard from President Zelenskyy repeatedly, and indeed today, about his gratitude to the people of the United Kingdom for their support and their generosity,” he said, adding that “the UK government and the UK people will be steadfast in support” of Ukraine.
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