An important personnel decision regarding key national security structures has taken place in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially confirmed the appointment of the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Rustem Umerov, to the position of Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) of Ukraine.
The statement was made during a meeting with Ukraine's ambassadors. The head of state emphasized that the new position will allow Umerov to more effectively coordinate work in the fields of diplomacy and defense, as well as conduct negotiations with international partners, including the United States.
Expanded Powers and New Tasks
According to the President, Rustem Umerov will continue to oversee issues related to unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) operations, but his sphere of responsibility will expand significantly. It will now include not only the Middle East but also other strategic directions.
Zelenskyy noted that the appointment is intended to give Umerov more opportunities to simultaneously solve tasks in several critically important areas:
- Coordination of diplomatic and defense issues;
- Conducting negotiations with the US and other strategic partners;
- Participation in processes concerning the end of the war.
Thus, the merging of the functions of the NSDC Secretary and the head of foreign intelligence in one person indicates a desire to centralize management in the context of the ongoing conflict.
