--- title: "Andriy Sybyga officially appointed Head of Ukraine's MFA: Verkhovna Rada voting results and context of personnel changes" description: "The Verkhovna Rada approved Andriy Sybyga as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. 266 deputies voted for the candidacy. This decision became part of the formation of the new government of Serhiy Koretsky." date: 2026-08-19T09:52:04.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/rada-approves-sybyga-as-minister-of-foreign-affairs-of-ukraine tags: [ukraine-politics, andriy-sybiga, verkhovna-rada, sergey-koretsky, ukraine-government] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Andriy Sybyga officially appointed Head of Ukraine's MFA: Verkhovna Rada voting results and context of personnel changes ![Andrii Sybiha, officially appointed as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in front of the Ministry’s logo](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/19/rada-utverzhda-sibigu-ministrom-inostrannyh-del-ukrainy/rada-utverzhda-sibigu-ministrom-inostrannyh-del-ukrainy-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The Verkhovna Rada approved Andriy Sybyga as the Head of the MFA of Ukraine, voting for him with 266 votes. - The appointment became part of the formation of the government led by Serhiy Koretsky. - Andriy Sybyga has rich diplomatic experience, including work as an ambassador in Turkey. On August 19, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine completed a key stage in the formation of the new government by approving Andriy Sybyga for the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. 266 People's Deputies voted for the appointment, securing a confident majority for the current head of the foreign policy department to take office. This vote became the final chord in the process of legitimizing the team of the new Prime Minister, Serhiy Koretsky, who took charge of the Cabinet of Ministers in July 2026. ### Diplomat's history: from Lviv to Ankara Andriy Sybyga is a figure with deep experience in Ukrainian diplomacy. Born in 1975 in the Ternopil region, he received a fundamental education at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, becoming a specialist in international relations and an English translator. His career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began in 1997, and a significant part of his professional path was dedicated to work in Poland, where he served both as a secretary and as a Counselor. An important stage in Sybyga's biography was his work as Ambassador to Turkey from 2016 to 2021. In conditions of geopolitical tension and the need to establish relations with key partners in the region, this experience became critically important for his further career. After returning to Kyiv, he headed the Office of the President, and in the spring of 2024 returned to the MFA, where he quickly rose from First Deputy Minister to Acting Minister. ### Context of the Cabinet of Ministers 'reboot' Sybyga's appointment took place against the backdrop of a large-scale personnel reform initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July 2026. After the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, the government was taken over by Serhiy Koretsky, who previously headed 'Naftogaz'. The change of power at the top of the executive branch required a review and approval of key ministers. Although Sybyga had already held the post of Head of the MFA since September 2024, in the context of the change of government, he temporarily worked in the status of Acting Minister. The vote in the Rada on August 19 became a necessary step to restore his powers in accordance with the legislation and confirm his status in the new political configuration. The support of 266 deputies indicates that Sybyga's foreign policy course and experience do not raise doubts among the parliamentary majority. ### Contradictory data In the course of analyzing sources, discrepancies were found in the interpretation of the appointment status. Some media outlets, in particular UNN, formulate the news as Andriy Sybyga heading the MFA 'for the third time'. This is due to the fact that in 2024 he already held this position, and then, possibly, was temporarily removed or worked in a different status until July 2026. However, the official voting procedure on August 19, 2026, according to the RBC-Ukraine broadcast, formalizes his reappointment within the framework of the new Koretsky government. Thus, formally this is a new approval, but in fact — a continuation of work in the post he previously held. ### Challenges for the new government The approval of Sybyga takes place in conditions where the Koretsky government faces complex tasks of restoring the economy and ensuring security. While the Head of the MFA Sybyga continues to pursue an active diplomatic line (including negotiations with partners from the EU, as recorded in recent footage from the bomb shelter), the new team must ensure the synchronization of foreign policy efforts with internal reforms. Confident support in the Rada gives Sybyga a mandate to continue working without significant political fluctuations. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Rada reappointed Sybyga as Minister of Foreign Affairs](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rada-perepriznachila-sibigu-ministrom-zakordonnih-1784190115.html) - Основной источник фактов о голосовании и количестве голосов (266). - [Andriy Sybyga heads the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for the third time](https://unn.ua/ru/news/andrei-sibiga-v-tretii-raz-vozglavil-ministerstvo-inostrannikh-del-ukraini) - Источник для контекста о предыдущих назначениях и формулировке 'третий раз'. - [Sybyga posted footage of negotiations with the Belgian Foreign Minister from a bomb shelter](https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/news/2026/08/19/29133817.shtml) - Подтверждено по источнику gazeta.ru - [Rada expects voting on defense and foreign affairs ministers with '260+ votes' — MP](https://unn.ua/ru/news/v-rade-ozhidaetsya-golosovanie-za-ministrov-oboroni-i-inostrannikh-del-s-260-golosami-nardep) - Источник для контекста о предыдущих назначениях и формулировке 'третий раз'. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many deputies voted for Andriy Sybyga? **A:** 266 People's Deputies voted for the appointment of Andriy Sybyga as Minister of Foreign Affairs. ### Q: Who is the new Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2026? **A:** In July 2026, Serhiy Koretsky was appointed head of the Cabinet of Ministers. ### Q: Where did Andriy Sybyga work before being appointed minister? **A:** Sybyga worked as an ambassador in Turkey (2016–2021), Deputy Head of the Office of the President, and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.