Ukraine’s parliament has approved President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s nominee, Andrii Sybiha, as the country’s new Foreign Minister.
This came after the parliament accepted the resignation of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who offered his resignation on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
“Parliament dismisses Dmytro Kuleba from the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine,” lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said, adding 240 lawmakers had voted to accept his resignation.
Kuleba was not present in parliament for the vote.
The appointment of the Deputy Foreign Minister as the country’s top diplomat on Thursday, September 5, 2024, is part of the largest reshuffle of Ukraine’s government since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, with Zelenskyy saying the country needs “new energy.”
Parliament has accepted the resignations of two Deputy Prime Ministers and several ministers in the last two days.
Sybiha, a career diplomat, worked for several years in Zelenskyy’s office, overseeing foreign policy and strategic partnerships.
Sybiha joined the presidential office in 2021, working under influential administration head Andriy Yermak.
He was appointed the country’s first Deputy Foreign Minister earlier this year.
“He is a well-known, experienced diplomat with vast experience,” Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of parliament representing Zelenskyy’s party and the chair of the body’s foreign affairs committee, disclosed shortly before the confirmation vote.
“Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, Sybiha was with the President, was involved in all important negotiations and due to his professionalism, has earned the trust and respect of the President.”
Oleksandr Merezhko
Such proximity to Zelenskyy may help avoid any tensions between the presidency and the foreign ministry.
Merezhko stated that Sybiha is known as a “thinker” and an “intellectual” among those who have worked closely with him and as someone willing to make hard decisions.
“He is not afraid to be unpopular,” Merezhko added.
Additionally, Ukrainian lawmaker, Bohan Yaremenko, also a member of the foreign affairs committee told a news agency that the new minister is “tough, experienced, professional.”
He noted that Sybiha is “very different” to his predecessor, with a far smaller public profile.
“He spent two years next to the President, so he knows more than anyone else about the most recent negotiations with all important partners,” Yaremenko said.
No Foreign Policy Change Expected
Analysts have said that they expect no change in Ukraine’s foreign policy.
Dmytro Razumkov, an opposition lawmaker, predicted the new appointments would change little.
He stated that most decisions on new appointments were made in Zelenskyy’s office, which was conferred considerable new emergency powers under wartime martial law.
During the war with Russia, Dmytro Kuleba often played second fiddle to the President’s office on many key matters of foreign policy.
Local media reports say that Kuleba would begin a new post for Ukraine’s integration into NATO.
Lawmakers also signed off on the appointment of Oleksiy Kuleba, a former Deputy Head of Zelenskyy’s office, as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of reconstruction, regions and infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Parliament also re-appointed 38-year-old Olha Stefanyshyna as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European integration, while also handing her a bigger portfolio that includes overseeing the justice ministry.
Stefanyshyna said in her speech to lawmakers ahead of her appointment that “hundreds and thousands” of legal changes were required as Ukraine seeks to become a member of the European Union.
The Parliament is also expected to appoint other new ministers on Thursday as part of the government reset.
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