In a move that has sparked speculation within Europe’s diplomatic community, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Kyiv’s ambassador to Germany and other senior envoys.

In a decree that gave no reason for the move, he announced the sacking of Ukraine’s ambassadors to Germany, India, Czech Republic, Norway and Hungary.

It was not immediately clear if Mr Zelensky wasn’t happy with their efforts to garner international support and, in particular, military aid, but it is widely acknowledged that had been the Kyiv government’s explicit instruction.

Kyiv’s relationship with Germany, which is heavily reliant on Russian energy supplies and also Europe’s biggest economy, has been a particularly sensitive matter.

The two capitals are at odds over a German-made turbine undergoing maintenance in Canada. Germany wants Ottawa to return the turbine to Russian natural gas giant Gazprom to pump gas to Europe.

Kyiv has urged Canada to keep the turbine, saying that shipping it to Russia would be a violation of sanctions imposed on Moscow.

-AAP