President Volodymyr Zelensky he declared yesterday that Ukraine needs "new energy", as he ordered a major reconstruction of the government at a crucial moment in the war against Russia.
A total of six ministers, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmitra Kulebu, resigned, and the parliament accepted the resignations of four ministers. Among them were the resignations of the deputy prime minister in charge of European integration, the minister of strategic industries who oversees arms production in Ukraine and two other ministers, the lawmakers said.
"Today we need new energy, and these steps are only related to strengthening our state in different directions," Zelenski told the media.
MPs said that parliament is expected to consider Kuleba's resignation today.
After Zelensky, the 43-year-old Kuleba was Ukraine's best-known face abroad, meeting with leaders around the world and lobbying for military and political support in fluent English.
Analysts said the government reshuffle had been planned for some time but had been delayed as Zelenskiy focused on negotiations with Western partners over the summer to secure military and financial aid.
"This is a planned change of personnel in the government," he told Reuters Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst from Kyiv. "Now half of the government will be restored. This is Zelensky's style. He believes that the new minister brings new energy, new approaches, and will work more actively. He expects exactly such an effect."
Fesenko added that he does not expect a significant change in foreign policy after the expected departure of Kuleba.
The British "Guardian" writes that it is speculated that he would Andrij Sibiha, deputy chief of staff of the president of Ukraine, could replace Kuleba. Sibiha is a veteran diplomat who served as ambassador to Turkey and in the Ukrainian embassy in Poland.
Several European foreign ministers praised Kuleba yesterday. Among them was Analena Burbock, the German head of diplomacy, who said that he put the people of Ukraine before himself. She recalled their "long conversations on night trains, at the G7 summit, at the front, in Brussels and in front of the destroyed power plant."
The reconstruction of the government is presented as a political "reset" designed by Zelenski and his inner circle of people before the winter, during which electricity shortages are expected due to Russian attacks on key infrastructure and unfavorable news from the front.
The Kremlin announced yesterday that the changes in the government of Ukraine will not affect the process of peace negotiations, although such negotiations seem distant considering that the two warring parties are very far apart in their goals.
Reuters points out that the coming months are crucial for Zelensky as he seeks to gain more support from the West and take the initiative in the war. At the end of the month, the Ukrainian leader will travel to the United States, where he hopes to present a "victory plan" to the American president Joe Biden, a key ally.
Russian forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops made a bold incursion into Russia's Kursk region.
In yesterday's attack on the city of Lviv, seven people were killed, and one Ukrainian lost his wife and three daughters when a rocket hit their house
Moscow has stepped up drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, while Kiev launched a massive drone attack on Russian energy infrastructure over the weekend.
In yesterday's Russian attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, seven people were killed, including four members of the same family. The mayor of Lviv, which is located near the border with Poland, said that one man Jaroslav Baziljevic lost his wife and three daughters when their home was hit.
On Tuesday, at least 50 people, including soldiers, were killed in two rocket attacks in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava, the deadliest single attack of the war this year.
Analysts claim that Zelenski has a limited choice of personnel and expect that some of the outgoing ministers will be reappointed to new positions. Outgoing Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamšin, who has overseen an increase in domestic arms production in Ukraine, said on Tuesday that he will remain in the defense sector in a different role.
Prophet Jaroslav Zelezniak he said that the parliament will continue to consider resignations and appointments today. Currently, 10 out of 21 ministerial positions are vacant. "Tomorrow the government will be reshuffled, as planned," he announced on Telegram.
Bonus video:
