زيلينسكي يستعد لإجراء تعديل حكومي واسع

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced today (Sunday) his intention to carry out a wide-ranging government reshuffle that includes changing Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, as part of a new political strategy to reorder foreign policy priorities and strengthen the management of domestic issues.

In a statement on his account on the "X" platform, Zelensky said: "I discussed the details of the upcoming changes with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko," explaining that implementing the new strategy requires renewing the Cabinet.

He indicated that he offered Svyrydenko a new and important role in relations with a key partner, without disclosing the nature of the task or identifying the partner involved, expressing his hope to approve the government changes in cooperation with members of parliament.

He confirmed that the changes will also include several heads of security agencies.

Zelensky added that every major file in Ukrainian foreign policy will be assigned to a specific individual with extensive experience, who will be responsible for achieving tangible results within the country’s strategic priorities, expressing his expectation that the parliament, dominated by the ruling "Servant of the People" party, will approve the new appointments in the coming weeks.

The Ukrainian president identified defense cooperation with the United States and Europe, integration into the European Union, and relations with Poland and Hungary as the main priorities for foreign policy in the upcoming phase, indicating that the new officials will also focus on strengthening Ukraine's relations with China and Middle Eastern countries, in addition to intensifying communication with major international organizations.

On the domestic front, Zelensky called for enhancing administration in frontline areas and border regions that are subjected to daily Russian attacks, increasing supplies of weapons and drones for the army, and accelerating preparations for winter.

For its part, the "Financial Times" reported that sources familiar with Zelensky's plans indicated that the CEO of "Naftogaz," Ukraine's largest state-owned oil and gas company, Serhiy Koritksy, is among the top candidates to succeed Svyrydenko. Zelensky also posted a picture of himself with Koritksy, stating that he is committed to safeguarding Ukraine's national interests while managing a highly complex sector.

He added: "We discussed the steps our country needs to take to enhance Ukraine's resilience and achieve the expected results within the framework of the updated political strategy of the state."

Other candidates for the prime minister position include former Prime Minister and current Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal, and Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov, according to sources familiar with the consultations being conducted by the Ukrainian president.

Two sources told the British newspaper that Svyrydenko is likely to be appointed as Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, after establishing close relations with prominent officials in the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump during her oversight of the minerals agreement between the two countries.

Following her meeting with Zelensky, Svyrydenko said: "I am still ready to serve the Ukrainian state and carry out any mission aimed at enhancing Ukraine's position, defending our national interests, and bringing about a just peace."

The current Ukrainian ambassador to Washington, Oksana Stefanishyna, is expected to leave her position amid an ongoing investigation into her family's purchase of an apartment in Kyiv at a price that investigators say is significantly below its market value, while Stefanishyna denies these allegations.

According to the "Financial Times," this anticipated government reshuffle will be the third since the start of the full-scale Russian war on Ukraine in February 2022, coming less than a year after the last reshuffle conducted by Zelensky, at a time when Kyiv is intensifying its airstrikes inside Russia.