Zelenskyy sacks Ukraine's ambassador to UK after 'sarcasm' criticism

Vadym Prystaiko had been Kyiv's representative in London since 2020

Ukraine's ambassador to Britain Vadym Prystaiko has been removed. AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sacked his ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko.

The move came days after the diplomat publicly criticised Mr Zelenskyy over his “sarcasm” at the Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had accused the government in Kyiv of being ungrateful for the huge donations of weapons Britain has sent, and said “we are not Amazon”.

Mr Zelenskyy responded by joking that he would call Mr Wallace on a daily basis to thank him for aid deliveries.

Mr Prystaiko disapproved of his approach.

"President Zelenskyy's term, when he said each and every morning he'll wake up and call Ben Wallace to thank him, I don't believe this sarcasm is healthy," Mr Prystaiko said in an interview with Sky News this week.

"We don't have to show the Russians that we have something between us. They have to know we are working together."

A presidential order, signed by Mr Zelenskyy and published online on Friday, confirmed the dismissal of the Ukrainian diplomat from his posting in London. It did not give a reason.

He had served as Ukraine’s man in London since July 2020.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Mr Prystaiko became a prominent figure in London and regularly attended meetings and events with political figures, including at Downing Street.

He lobbied UK ministers to provide crucial backing and support for Kyiv, and was involved in welcoming Ukrainian refugees to Britain.

Days before the invasion, Mr Prystaiko told The National it was good to see the UK standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin "because he's used to bullying everybody". Boris Johnson's government had threatened to cut Russia out of London's money market if it sent troops into Ukraine, a move which it pushed forward with after the outbreak of the war.

Despite turmoil in No 10 over the past 12 months – three prime ministers in the space of three months – the UK is one of the most vocal advocates and allies of Kyiv. The relationship made the role of Ukraine's ambassador to London a crucial diplomatic job.

Last Thursday he was spotted in the royal box at the Wimbledon tennis championships.

The Foreign Office declined to comment on Mr Prystaiko's sacking.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson tweeted a photo of him presenting a bust of Winston Churchill to Mr Prystaiko, and captioned it: "Sad to say goodbye to Vadym Prystaiko who has been a great Ukrainian ambassador and friend to this country. I hope he will emerge soon in another incarnation!"