KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine and the United States are having a diplomatic spat after Washington criticized the Ukrainian government's anti-corruption efforts ahead of the nation's March 31 presidential election.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko claimed in an interview with The Hill TV aired Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch gave him a list of people who should not be prosecuted. He said he rejected the demand.

The U.S. State Department on Thursday dismissed Lutsenko's claim as false.

The dispute came days after Yovanovitch scathingly criticized Ukraine's record on fighting corruption. She called for the firing of Ukraine's special anti-corruption prosecutor, who has been accused of helping suspects avoid corruption charges.