Zelensky: I learnt from the Internet about Russia's note on return of Ukrainian sailors and Ukrainian MFA's response to it

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is indignant at the fact that Ukraine's parliament is reluctant to back the resignation of Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Pavlo Klimkin and to appoint the presidential nominee, Vadym Prystaiko, therefore the president learns about important steps of Ukraine in the international arena from the Internet.

"This [the replacement of the Foreign Affairs Minister] leads to the fact that I, as president of Ukraine, learn information about our international steps from the Internet ... I am now talking about the note we have just received from the Russian Federation regarding the return of our sailors and the note the Foreign Ministry [of Ukraine] has sent in response," Zelensky said at a briefing at the presidential office in Kyiv on Thursday.

Zelensky says "he didn't see our response to the note of the Russian Federation, because Mr. Klimkin does not consider it necessary to discuss such issues with the President of Ukraine." "And these are questions of the country's security, our citizens' lives. This is all a priority for any president, whether someone likes him or not," Zelensky said.

The president stresses that such actions of incumbent Foreign Minister Klimkin "may jeopardize the return of our sailors."

"I don't understand why, without consulting with me, the minister makes statements on behalf of the state of Ukraine when it is the president's area of competence. And I want to remind you that I am personally responsible for the foreign policy of Ukraine according to the Constitution of Ukraine," he said.

Zelensky also said he would like to hear a public explanation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their actions.