PM Svyrydenko tapped for US ambassador as Ukraine prepares major government overhaul
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced personnel changes in the government and held a series of meetings with officials who are being named as candidates for the new prime minister position.
The president said that “each priority area of foreign policy will be assigned to a specific person with substantial experience,” because “Ukraine is changing its political strategy.”
“The transformation of state-owned companies, on which Ukraine’s resilience significantly depends, must be accelerated. Ukraine’s agreements with its partners on recovery also require separate and focused attention. Accordingly, personnel changes will begin in Ukraine to ensure the implementation of the updated political strategy,” he wrote.
Svyrydenko's departure
Zelenskyy noted that he had proposed to current Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko that she leave her post. He also said there would be changes in the leadership of law enforcement agencies.
“I am grateful to Yulia for her clear, steady, and effective work as Prime Minister, for her years of productive service on Ukraine’s team, and I have offered her the opportunity to lead a new and important area of relations with a key partner. I expect that, together with MPs, we will make the corresponding changes in the Government of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Svyrydenko confirmed that she is leaving the post of prime minister of Ukraine:
“I am grateful to the President for his trust and for his high assessment of our team’s work. I am proud to have had the honor of leading the Government during one of the most difficult periods in Ukraine’s modern history,” she wrote.
MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak writes that Svyrydenko may be appointed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. According to sources for Interfax, Olga Stefanishyna, who currently holds the post, asked to be relieved of her duties last week for personal reasons.
At the same time, journalist Yurii Nikolov, citing sources, said that Stefanishyna may have charges pressed against her: “It will be something about income that investigators consider illegal. It will not be about the kind of wild sums as with the head of the Anti-Monopoly Committee, but something smaller, like an apartment, a car or something of that nature.” Stefanishyna herself did not comment on her departure.
Zelenskyy's meetings
On July 12, Zelenskyy met with the chairman of Naftogaz’s board, Sergii Koretskyi, former prime minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Zheleznyak had named them as the main candidates for the post of Ukraine’s new prime minister.
Following the meeting with Koretskyi, the president thanked him “for effective leadership of Ukraine’s strategic state-owned companies, Ukrnafta and Naftogaz.”
“There are now new challenges due to Russian strikes, particularly against energy infrastructure in border and frontline regions, gas stations, and other facilities. Today, we discussed the steps our country needs to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and deliver the expected results under our state’s updated political strategy,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Later, the president heard a report from Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has strong agreements with partners in this sphere and that “all of them must be implemented on time.” At the same time, he believes the agreements reached so far are not enough:
“We discussed what now requires new and more decisive steps to protect our energy sector and strategic infrastructure facilities throughout Ukraine. The resilience plans of Ukraine’s regions and communities must be implemented to the same high standard everywhere, and any delays in any region pose a threat to people’s lives,” the president wrote.
During the meeting with Ihor Klymenko — Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs — the president discussed “pressing challenges that require a response from our state.” Fedorov reported to Zelenskyy on tasks completed in the defense sphere and strengthening air defense to protect Ukrainian cities.
“The transformation of all processes within Ukraine’s Defense Forces that can sustain the motivation of our warriors must also continue, along with efforts to ensure that combat brigades are properly staffed. We all understand the challenges. It is important that the necessary leadership in the defense sector delivers results,” Zelenskyy said after the meeting with Defense Minister Fedorov.
Together with Kharkiv Mayor Terekhov, the president discussed “how interaction between the central, regional, and local authorities is organized, the key needs of our communities, and the prospects for implementing the decisions currently being prepared.” Zelenskyy stated that “resilience plans must be implemented as quickly as possible,” and that Kharkiv’s experience can be expanded to other cities and communities.
Who else might leave?
Zheleznyak claims that Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksii Kuleba will supposedly leave his government post. He also said there are rumors that a candidacy for head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) will be submitted and that a replacement for the head of the State Bureau of Investigation is being prepared.
“Within the framework of this ‘reset’ there will be many replacements. That is, the package will be broader than the Cabinet of Ministers. Many ministers will be changed,” the lawmaker noted.
He added that changes may also occur in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. Zheleznyak suggested that the current Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, could become the new defense minister.