Ukrainian foreign minister who called Putin names has been replaced

KIEV, Ukraine, June 19 (UPI) -- Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia has been replaced by diplomat Pavlo Klimkin.

Deshchytsia had been serving in the role of foreign minister temporarily, and his replacement had been expected.

On Thursday, President Petro Poroshenko presented a bouquet of red flowers to the outgoing foreign minister, a photo of which Deshchytsia posted to Twitter.

Fellow foreign ministers tweeted their appreciation for Deshchytsia's work. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius alluded to Ukraine's expected cabinet reshuffle and thanked his Ukrainian counterpart "for his excellent cooperation" while Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt applauded Deshchytsia for his "good cooperation during your important period in office!"

Deshchytsia's announced replacement follows his headline-making remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 14. While attempting to defuse an angry mob of protesters outside the Russian embassy in Kiev, he called Putin a khuilo, the Ukrainian equivalent of a "dickhead." The incident angered Moscow, with some calling for Deshchytsia to be fired.

Ukraine's new foreign minister, Pavlo Klimkin, previously served as ambassador to Germany.