Zelensky to meet with Fedorov as speculation over defense minister's exit grows

President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on July 15, amid intensifying speculation that Fedorov could be removed from his post.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelensky said the meeting will include Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and will address some of the many issues facing Ukraine's military currently, including mobilization.

Zelensky avoided specific questions from journalists about Fedorov's possible removal, only saying he wants Ukraine's military to be "united" and "on the same page."

"The priority is dialogue between the army and the Defense Ministry, and solving the problems of (recruitment), and closing the sky," he said, while confirming the meeting.

The meeting comes in a week when rumors and speculation that Fedorov could be replaced as defense minister have reached fever pitch amid a wider government reshuffle.

The reasons behind the reshuffle remain unclear. Many lawmakers, including members of Zelensky's own Servant of the People party, said they knew nothing about the plan before it was announced.

The prospect of Fedorov being replaced after just six months in office has prompted a largely critical reaction from lawmakers, public figures, and Kyiv residents, while opposition lawmakers and political analysts have suggested that tensions with parliament and President Volodymyr Zelensky may be driving his possible removal.

Fedorov had the second-highest net trust rating among political figures included in a June poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, with 50% of respondents saying they trusted him and 21% saying they did not.

During his short term, he has introduced a series of changes, including a controversial military reform, new systems to measure unit effectiveness, such as Mission Control, and a private air defense initiative, among other innovations.

The minister also played a key role in negotiations that led to the Russian army losing access to Starlink, helping Ukrainian forces regain the initiative on the battlefield.