KYIV, Ukraine — At least seven Ukrainian officials including cabinet ministers have submitted their resignation and a presidential aide was dismissed, as the ruling party signaled a major government reshuffle was underway.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his political allies could move to fill the positions to create order before he travels this month to the United States, where he hopes to present a “victory plan” to US President Joe Biden, a key ally.
“Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine. And our state institutions should be configured so that Ukraine achieves all the results that we need – for all of us,” Zelenskiy said in his evening address.
“For this, we must strengthen some areas of the government and changes in its make-up have been prepared. There will also be changes in the (president’s) office.”
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tendered his resignation on Wednesday.
On Tuesday evening, several of his colleagues in the Cabinet submitted their resignation, including the Minister for Strategic Industries, Minister for Justice and Minister of Environmental Protection.
The reset comes as Kyiv faces growing challenges including daily Russian bombardment and as Zelenskiy seeks to boost confidence in the government two and a half years into Moscow’s invasion.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyi attends a joint news briefing with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine September 2, 2024. REUTERS
“As promised, a major government reset can be expected this week. More than 50 percent of the Cabinet of Ministers’ staff will be changed,” David Arakhamia, the head of the ruling Servant of the People party’s parliamentary faction, wrote on Telegram.
“Tomorrow we will have a day of dismissals, and the day after that a day of appointments,” he said.
The head of Ukraine’s State Property Fund, Vitaliy Koval, also resigned, as did Deputy Prime Ministers Iryna Vereshchuk and Olga Stefanishyna.
The deputy head of Zelenskiy’s office and one of the president’s top aides, Rostyslav Shurma, was meanwhile dismissed, according to a presidential decree.
Zelenskiy has ordered several reshuffles since the war began, sacking his defense minister last September after a series of corruption scandals and more recently replacing his top commander amid setbacks on the battlefield.
The Ukrainian leader’s first presidential term, which began in 2019, expired in May but he has remained in post under martial law.
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