Power Reset: Zelenskyy Replaces Prime Minister and Renews Ukraine's Government

This week in Ukraine, at the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a massive "reset" of the Cabinet of Ministers took place. The changes in the highest echelons of power turned out to be more profound than initially expected. The President explained the necessity of personnel shifts as an update to the country's political strategy, which requires new approaches to implementation.

Change of Prime Minister and Formation of a New Cabinet

The process of change began on Sunday when Zelenskyy met with the then-current Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko. The meeting concluded with the announcement of the start of reshuffles not only in the government but also in the law enforcement system. By Tuesday, Sviridenko had left her post. On Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada approved the new Prime Minister and the composition of his government.

The chair of the head of government was taken by Serhiy Koretsky, who previously headed "Naftogaz." It is worth noting that the approval of the Cabinet's composition passed without the appointment of two key ministers — Defense and Foreign Affairs. These positions remain vacant, and the President must propose candidates for them.

Key Reshuffles in the Security Block

Significant changes also affected the structure of national security. Ihor Klymenko, who previously headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs, received the position of Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), replacing Rustem Umerov on this post. Umerov's fate remains uncertain for now: it is only known about his planned meeting with the President to discuss his further career.

Rotations also occurred in the law enforcement system. After the appointment of the head of the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) to the status of acting head of the Ministry of Defense, the post of the head of the special service became vacant. The name of the future head of the SBU is currently unknown. A similar situation arose in the National Police: after the head of the department moved to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the acting head became the First Deputy, Maksym Tsutsukiridze. However, this decision is temporary, and the choice of a permanent candidate still lies ahead.

Changes in the Team and Economy

Reshuffles also occurred within the President's team. Taras Kachka, who in the previous government was the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, was offered by the President to return to the position of Ukraine's Trade Representative. Simultaneously, Kachka will head the Ukrainian representation in the EU.

Economic issues in the President's Administration will be overseen by Oleksiy Sobolev. The former Minister of Economy in Sviridenko's government is being considered as a candidate for the position of Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov.

As for the former Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, the President intends to keep him in his team. Previously, Zelenskyy offered Fedorov to become an advisor, but he refused. Nevertheless, the Office of the President confirms that the question of Fedorov's new role will be resolved.

New Leadership of "Naftogaz"

With Serhiy Koretsky's move to the government, the chair of the head of "Naftogaz" became vacant. The new head of the company is appointed Serhiy Fedorenko. Before this, he worked alongside Koretsky on the transformation of "Ukrnafta".