At least Four Ukrainian ministers have resigned from parliament in the past two days, and the head of the majority group in the House, David Arajamía, announced that More than half of the Cabinet members will be replaced in the next few hours, in the most significant change of government since the beginning of the war with Russia.
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“As promised, a major change in the government is expected this week. More than 50 percent of its composition will change,” the head of the parliamentary faction of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s party, Sluga Narodu (Servant of the People), which has an absolute majority in the chamber, wrote on his Telegram account.
Russia’s attack on Ukraine on September 2, 2024.
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Arajamía announced that all resignations will be finalized on Wednesday and new appointments will be made on Thursday. The list of names is due to be finalised on Wednesday at the meeting of the majority parliamentary group.
So far, the following ministers have resigned: Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba; Justice Minister Denis Maliuska; Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamishin; and Environment and Natural Resources, Ruslan Strilets.
The head of the State Property Fund, Vitali Koval, has also submitted his resignation, which like those of the ministers must now be formally accepted by the Chamber.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that changes in the composition of the government are on the way. Prime Minister Denis Shmigal had also announced plans to downsize ministries to reduce wartime spending and streamline the functioning of the Cabinet.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a meeting with manufacturers within the framework of the Made in Ukraine economic platform in Kovel on July 30, 2024.
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“Some of them have been ministers for five years, and we need new energy,” Zelensky said on Wednesday, thanking the outgoing officials during a joint press conference with his Irish counterpart Simon Harris in kyiv.
The departure of Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba, one of the most significant
The most significant departure so far is that of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba, after more than four years as head of Ukrainian diplomacy during which he expanded his country’s relations to unprecedented levels.
“I ask you to accept my resignation,” Kuleba wrote in a letter to parliament and posted on social media by the assembly’s speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
In addition to consolidating privileged diplomatic relations with the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and other Western countries, reinforced by the personal harmony between Kuleba and his counterparts in those governments, The diplomat’s tenure brought with it the opening of new embassies in countries where kyiv had no representation, especially in Africa.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Kuleba has embarked on unprecedented tours of Africa, Asia and Latin America to rally support for the Ukrainian cause in the Global South, an effort declared last year as a priority by the Zelensky administration that has so far not achieved its goal of reducing Russian influence in these regions.
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
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On one of his last trips as minister, Kuleba met in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in what was the highest-level direct contact between the two countries since the beginning of the invasion.
His diplomatic experience sets him apart from many of the people in the immediate entourage of President Volodymyr Zelensky, a professional actor whose collaborators often draw on his years in the world of show business. Kuleba has not followed the line of wearing military garb introduced by Zelensky and followed by many senior Ukrainian officials, and continues to wear a suit for most public appearances.
Russia is keeping an eye on changes in Ukraine
Russia has already reacted to the cabinet reshuffle. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that changes in the Ukrainian government will not affect “in any way” in the perspectives of a negotiation process.
“No, this will not affect the prospects of the negotiation process in any way and has nothing to do with it,” Peskov was quoted by the official TASS news agency as saying when asked about the impact of government changes in Ukraine.
At the same time, the spokesman stressed that Moscow takes note of all information coming from Ukraine.
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