Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has completed a major government reshuffle, replacing his prime minister and defence minister and nominating a new ambassador to the United States, as he seeks fresh political energy more than three years into Russia’s invasion.
Lawmakers voted on Wednesday to officially dismiss the government.
Here are the main points to know about the shake up, which comes as ceasefire talks with Russia stall and with the White House vowing renewed military support for Kyiv.
PM with US ties
Ukraine‘s new prime minister is Yulia Svyrydenko, who set her priorities as strengthening the economy, scaling up arms production and expanding support programs.
“It is a great honour for me to lead the Government of Ukraine today,” Svyrydenko said, adding: “War leaves no room for delay. We must act swiftly and decisively.”
Svyrydenko, who was confirmed by Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday, is known for finalising a natural resources deal with the United States that nearly derailed ties between the countries.
Read moreUkraine, US sign ‘memorandum of intent’ on critical minerals deal
“She was the key and the only person leading these negotiations. She managed to prevent them from unravelling,” said Tymofiy Mylovanov, a former economy minister who worked with Svyrydenko.
She won the respect of US partners including senior US political leadership, analysts have said.
“Trump and his administration are now a priority for Ukraine. Svyrydenko has proven herself there and will continue to do so,” said political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko.
Svyrydenko, 39, has earned the trust of Ukraine’s business community for her handling of the country’s wartime economy, President of the American Chamber of Commerce Andy Hunder said.
“We’ve had a transparent, trust-based and collaborative relationship,” Hunder said.
‘Bring some order’
The outgoing prime minister, unassuming technocrat Denys Shmygal, takes over the defence ministry.
Fesenko said Shmygal’s appointment as defence minister would likely see him “bring some order” to the ministry, which has previously been plagued by corruption scandals.
Moving him to the defence ministry, a demotion on paper, gives Zelensky an experienced technocratic economist in a job that oversees the bulk of Ukraine’s state cash flow.
The 2025 budget allocates 2.23 trillion hryvnias ($53.2 billion) for defence spending – about 26 percent of Ukraine’s gross domestic product. The ministry has faced public criticism over poor organisation and procurement problems as Ukraine struggles to fend off a bigger and better-armed Russian military.
Most other officials including Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga are staying in place.
A new energy minister was also appointed, Svitlana Grynchuk, who takes over a tough brief and a critical time, with Russia launching record drone and missile strikes and fears it could further ramp up attacks on energy infrastructure ahead of the winder.
New US ambassador
Zelensky has named outgoing Justice Minister Olga Stefanishyna as his pick for ambassador to the United States – though her candidacy needs to be approved in Washington.
Stefanishyna would be taking over from Oksana Markarova, who organised aid and fostered good relations with Joe Biden‘s administration.
But with Trump having railed against his predecessor’s multi-billion-dollar support for Kyiv and U-turning multiple times on weapons for Kyiv, Zelensky has decided to change his envoy to the White House.
Read moreUS-NATO deal: How will US arms reach Ukraine?
Zelensky said that Stefanishyna, who also took part in negotiations on the minerals deal, would “continue to work with the United States on this basis – adding mutually beneficial economic substance to our political and diplomatic interaction”.
Stefanishyna has also been praised for her efforts to bring Ukraine closer to the EU, as part of her role as minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Her nomination is a surprise after Zelensky had last week strongly indicated that outgoing defence minister Rustem Umerov, who led two recent rounds of negotiations with Russia, would be his pick for US ambassador.
The president has not said why he opted for Stefanishyna over Umerov, or what role the latter will have, if any, in the new government.
More control?
Zelensky’s rivals have long accused him of seeking to consolidate power and some critical media say Svyrydenko’s appointment marked the latest step in this trend.
She is seen as loyal to Andriy Yermak, the powerful head of Zelensky’s office.
Ukrainska Pravda, a respected independent media outlet, published a report describing the moves as “the strengthening of the head of the presidential office – although it’s hard to see how that’s possible”.
“It’s obvious that the Presidential office’s influence will increase,” opposition lawmaker Mykola Kniazhytskyi told AFP.
“The authorities are pursuing further centralisation and refusing any dialogue,” he added.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)
