Ukraine's parliament dismisses prime minister and his cabinet
The Ukrainian parliament on Juĺy 16 voted to accept Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal's resignation, thus dismissing his government and starting a cabinet reshuffle.
The move comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky tapped First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to replace Shmyhal after he had held the office for more than five years.
The change takes place as Ukraine continues to resist Russia's full-scale invasion while seeking to navigate a transforming relationship with its key international supporter, the United States.
"I have proposed that Yuliia Svyrydenko lead the Government of Ukraine and significantly renew its work," Zelensky said on July 14, without providing further reasoning behind the decision.
Shmyhal's dismissal was supported by 261 lawmakers, with four abstaining and none voting against it. All ministers will serve in an acting capacity until a new cabinet is appointed.
Voting on the new government is expected on July 17, lawmaker Yaroslav Yurchyshyn and a source in the parliament told the Kyiv Independent.
Zelensky has hinted that Shmyhal, 49, Ukraine's longest-serving prime minister who led the government throughout the Russian full-scale invasion, could replace Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who is expected to take up an ambassadorship in the U.S.
Shmyhal announced his resignation on July 15, thanking the president for his trust and the cabinet for their "tireless work" for Ukraine.
Svyrydenko, 39, is a politician and economist who has served as deputy prime minister and economy minister since November 2021, after spending a year as deputy head of the Presidential Office.
Meeting Svyrydenko and Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on July 15, Zelensky outlined the "renewed" government's tasks for the next six months.
"The key priorities are: increasing domestic weapons production in Ukraine, fully contracting the required volumes of all types of drones for Ukraine’s Defense Forces, carrying out substantial deregulation and unlocking our country’s internal economic potential, and ensuring full implementation of social support programs for our people," he said on X.
Ukraine has a semi-presidential system, in which the head of state nominates a prime minister, who must then be approved by the parliament.
The prime minister subsequently proposes individual ministers, who also require confirmation by the legislature — currently dominated by Zelensky's Servant of the People party.
Though the composition of the new cabinet has not been publicly announced, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said Olha Stefanishyna, a justice minister and deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, will not be given a position in the new cabinet and may be appointed an ambassador to the EU.
Herman Halushchenko, currently the energy minister, is being considered as the new justice minister, while Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka may be named the new deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, he said.
Zhelezniak also said that Deputy Prime Minister and National Unity Minister Oleksii Chernyshov, who faces a corruption investigation, will be dismissed. Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin will also lose his ministerial post, as his department will be attached to the Defense Ministry, the lawmaker added.
According to Zhelezniak, Deputy Economy Minister Oleksii Soboliev is expected to head the new Resources Ministry, which will merge the economy, agriculture, and ecology ministries.
Ecology Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk will be appointed as the new energy minister, replacing Halushchenko, the lawmaker predicts.
Note from the author:
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