Zelenskyy seeks cabinet reset and replacement of prime minister
Ukraine’s president said the government changes are tied to a new foreign policy strategy focused on defence production, EU accession and Gulf ties.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced plans to remake his government, including replacing Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and changing the leadership of some law enforcement agencies. The move matters because Zelenskyy tied the shake-up to Ukraine’s foreign policy priorities as the country seeks more defence production, closer European ties and broader security partnerships.
Zelenskyy said Sunday on social media that Ukraine was changing its political strategy. He said each major foreign policy track would be assigned to a specific official with enough experience to deliver on agreements made by leaders and meet public expectations.
The president said he had discussed the plan with Svyrydenko. According to Zelenskyy, they agreed that carrying out the changes required a renewed Cabinet of Ministers.
Svyrydenko exits after one year as prime minister
Svyrydenko became prime minister a year ago, replacing Denys Shmyhal, Al Jazeera reported. Before taking the top government job, she served as first deputy prime minister and economy minister.
Those previous roles brought Svyrydenko into regular contact with the administration of US President Donald Trump, according to Al Jazeera. She was widely credited with negotiating a minerals agreement between Washington and Kyiv last year that helped improve relations after an initially cold period between Trump and Zelenskyy, Al Jazeera reported.
Svyrydenko, 39, wrote on X that she was proud to have led the government during what she called one of the hardest periods in modern Ukrainian history. She thanked the men and women defending Ukraine and said the country’s fighters were the basis of its independence.
Zelenskyy did not name a replacement for Svyrydenko in the announcement cited by Al Jazeera. He thanked her for offering to lead what he described as a new and significant area of relations with a key partner.
Foreign policy priorities
Zelenskyy said the revised political strategy would focus on several priority areas. He listed efforts to reach agreements on licensed production of Patriot air defence systems, progress toward European Union membership and closer relations with Gulf states.
The Ukrainian president described the Gulf region as one of the world’s most promising areas for security and economic cooperation. He did not provide further details in the announcement on which Gulf partners or agreements would be involved, according to Al Jazeera.
Zelenskyy also said changes were coming at the top of some law enforcement agencies. The announcement did not identify which agencies would be affected or who would take over those posts.
The reshuffle is the latest high-level government change under Zelenskyy during Russia’s war against Ukraine. Al Jazeera reported that the president framed the move as an attempt to match officials with specific diplomatic and security tasks at a time when Kyiv is pressing allies for air defence systems and pursuing its EU membership bid.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.