Former US ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch says she bulk-ordered coffee mugs containing a special message for the Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Ms Yovanovitch, who was removed from her post by Donald Trump in 2019, said she likes to gift the “f*** you Putin” mugs to her friends.

“I’m here to tell you that your coffee in the morning tastes so much better in that mug,” she told Insider.

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“Everybody kind of looks at it and gasps and laughs,” she told the news site.

“I think they’re just surprised because I’m, you know, a pretty staid diplomat. They certainly wouldn’t expect me to give them a gift like that.”

Ms Yovanovitch has been on a media tour promoting her new book Lessons From the Edge, which details her time as ambassador to Ukraine, her experiences with Putin and Mr Trump, and meeting Volodymyr Zelensky when he was a presidential candidate.

Earlier this month Ms Yovanovitch wore a bracelet during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that contained the same three letter message to Putin.

“This is a made in Ukraine bracelet,” she told Mr Colbert, adding she had worn them since 2017.

“I gave them to all visitors, including our congresspeople,” she said.

Ms Yovanovitch was recalled from Ukraine after becoming the victim of a smear campaign by allies of Mr Trump during his first impeachment.

Mr Trump tried to withhold military aid to get Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son. Mr Biden was then a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

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