Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country is preparing to change its political strategy and carry out personnel changes in the government. He wrote about this after a meeting with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
According to Zelensky, each priority track in both foreign and domestic policy should now be handled by a separate person with substantial experience. He said these changes would require a renewal of the cabinet of ministers.
The president thanked Svyrydenko for her effective work and offered her responsibility for a “new significant area in relations with a key partner.” He did not specify which area he meant.
Svyrydenko, in turn, thanked Zelensky for his trust and said she was proud to have led the government during the most difficult period in Ukraine’s modern history.
Svyrydenko had headed the Ukrainian government for exactly one year. Before becoming prime minister, she had served since 2021 as first deputy prime minister and economy minister.
Member of parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak suggested that she may have been offered the post of Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. In his version, her departure would be followed by a full reshuffle of the cabinet.
Later, Zelensky reported on a meeting with Naftogaz board chairman and Ukrnafta director Serhiy Koretsky, thanking him for effective work amid new challenges caused by Russian strikes. The president did not explicitly say whether he had offered him the prime minister’s post. He then also published messages about meetings with former prime minister and energy minister Denys Shmyhal and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. According to Zheleznyak, Koretsky is the main candidate for prime minister, and the matter is, in his words, “95% already decided.” The outlet Strana.ua wrote that Koretsky is considered close to businessman Tymur Mindich, a friend of Zelensky who previously faced suspicion in a money-laundering case involving the construction of luxury cottages near Kyiv.