Ukraine's parliament appoints Svyrydenko as prime minister

262 MPs voted in favor, 22 voted against, and 26 abstained.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally nominated Svyrydenko to lead the government.

Svyrydenko outlined the new government’s priorities, which include strengthening Ukraine’s economic potential, expanding support programs for citizens, and scaling up domestic weapons production.

On Wednesday, the Verkhovna Rada voted to dismiss Denys Shmyhal as prime minister, along with his entire Cabinet. Zelenskyy has signed documents submitting Shmyhal’s appointment as the new minister of defense to the Rada for approval.

What is known about Svyrydenko?

She began her career as a civil servant in 2015, becoming an advisor to the head of the Chernihiv Oblast State Administration. Two years later, she became the first deputy head of the regional state administration, and a year later she moved to the Ministry of Economy: first as a deputy, and from 2021 headed of the department.

Svyridenko was remembered for raising taxes in 2024 to attract an additional $500 billion for the security and defense sector. This law, among other things, provided for an increase in the military levy rate to 5%, an increase in taxes for groups 1, 2, and 4 of individual entrepreneurs, and the establishment of a 25% profit tax for non-bank financial institutions.

Svyrydenko also promoted the idea of economic reservation. In September 2024, she stated that such an initiative is priority No. 2 for the Ministry of Economy, and emphasized that thanks to this, the state treasury could be replenished by 100 billion hryvnias ($2.49 billion). Svyrydenko's last major achievement as minister of economy was the signing of an agreement with the United States on rare earth minerals.

Political scientists interviewed by hromadske believe that the Office of the President has decided to appoint its own person as the head of the government, and are also convinced that the reshuffle in the government will not affect anything.