In Brussels, the resignation of Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, has caused a genuine shock. European partners, accustomed to stable cooperation with the Ukrainian ministry, were caught off guard and intend to receive official clarifications from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the reasons for these personnel changes.
Personal reaction of the European Commissioner
According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the publication "European Truth," the head of the European Commission for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, openly stated that the change of minister was a "big surprise" for him personally. Unlike the resignation of the head of the Cabinet of Ministers, Yulia Sviridenko, to which the European Commissioner reacted with understanding, calling rotations in the government sometimes necessary, Fedorov's departure raised serious questions.
"Indeed, sometimes changes in the government are needed. And we have heard from interlocutors here in Kyiv that the new Prime Minister is suitable for this position," Kubilius noted, commenting on the appointment of the new Prime Minister.
Why Fedorov was important for the EU
The main concern in Brussels is related to who will now be responsible for Ukraine's defense and how the vector of cooperation will change. Andrius Kubilius emphasized that he has a long-term and fruitful partnership with Mykhailo Fedorov, which began even before the latter headed the Ministry of Defense.
According to the European Commissioner, significant results were achieved during the period of work, including in the sphere of deep strikes on Russian territory. Kubilius listed specific locations that were subjected to attacks: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Omsk, and Crimea.
"During this period, a lot was really achieved. Including almost daily deep strikes on Moscow, St. Petersburg, Omsk, Crimea, etc.," Kubilius stated.
Funding and the future
The European Commissioner also pointed out the importance of continuity in funding issues. "It is very important for us to continue what we started — especially regarding Ukraine's funding. 60 billion is a huge amount. We worked well together with Mykhailo Fedorov and Serhiy Boev," he added.
In an exclusive comment to RBC-Ukraine, Kubilius admitted that EU authorities saw in Fedorov a minister capable of achieving goals in a short time. He specifically noted that deep strikes and developments regarding Crimea are largely linked to the fact that Fedorov headed the Ministry of Defense.
Now, Brussels is waiting for an answer from Kyiv: why such a decision was made and how further work will be organized regarding defense and funding.
