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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday he had nominated first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko to lead his cabinet and \u201csignificantly renew its work\u201d, in the most notable shake-up of his government since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion. <\/p>\n
If approved by parliament, Svyrydenko, who also currently serves as economy minister, would replace current Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to become her country\u2019s 19th head of government.\u00a0Appointed in 2020, Shmyhal has served in the role throughout Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine and is the longest-serving head of government in the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy wrote on X that he had met Svyrydenko, 39, who led negotiations on a high-stakes minerals deal with the US, and told her a new prime minister was needed in a \u201ctransformation of the executive branch\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also discussed concrete measures to boost Ukraine\u2019s economic potential, expand support programmes for Ukrainians, and scale up our domestic weapons production,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
Svyrydenko is considered a close ally of Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy\u2019s powerful chief of staff. She is also seen as having strong ties with Donald Trump\u2019s team after leading the minerals talks alongside US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent.<\/p>\n
Svyrydenko\u2019s appointment was widely expected and seen by some in Kyiv\u2019s political arena as further consolidation of power within the president\u2019s inner circle.<\/p>\n
\u201cAndriy wants someone who is 100 per cent his person,\u201d said Mariana Bezuhla, a Ukrainian MP and member of the foreign affairs committee. \u201cSo he is promoting his prot\u00e9g\u00e9, his pupil \u2014 someone fully loyal to and understood by him: Yulia Svyrydenko.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u200bSvyrydenko would also be the second female prime minister in Ukraine\u2019s history, after the firebrand politician\u00a0and Orange revolution heroine figure Yulia Tymoshenko.<\/p>\n
Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker from Zelenskyy\u2019s Servant of the People party and head of the foreign affairs committee, said periodic reshuffles were necessary given that elections could not be held under martial law. \u201cNot all ministers live up to the requirements and expectations during war,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Several other senior cabinet members are expected to be replaced or moved to other roles as part of the government shuffle in the coming days. Senior Ukrainian officials familiar with Zelenskyy\u2019s planning said that Shmyhal was a leading contender for the post of defence minister, which is currently held by Rustem Umerov. <\/p>\n
Umerov, those officials said, was likely to be appointed by the president to serve as the new ambassador to Washington, where he will be expected to strengthen ties with the Trump administration. <\/p>\n