President Volodymyr Zelensky today stated that Ukraine needs "new energy" and ordered major changes to be made in the government at a critical moment in the war with Russia, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
A total of six ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba, resigned and parliament accepted the resignations of four of them.
The resignations of the deputy prime minister in charge of European integration, the minister of strategic industries in charge of arms production in Ukraine, and two other ministers were accepted, lawmakers said. According to the legislators, the parliament is expected to consider Kuleba's resignation tomorrow.
After Zelensky, 43-year-old Kuleba was the best-known Ukrainian official abroad, according to Reuters. He lobbied for military and political support in perfect English. According to analysts, the reshuffle in the government had been planned for some time, but was postponed because during the summer Zelensky was focused on talks between Kiev and its Western partners to secure military and financial aid.
"Today we need new energy and these steps are only related to the strengthening of our country in various directions," Zelensky told the media at a joint press conference with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, who is visiting the country.
The Ukrainian president also said that he wanted to "give his thanks to Ireland". Harris signed a cooperation agreement with Zelensky at the Ukrainian leader's office in Kyiv. The Irish Prime Minister also announced details of a €36 million funding package for organizations working in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
Harris' visit comes a day after 53 people were killed when two Russian ballistic missiles struck a military training facility and hospital in the city of Poltava. In an attack in the city of Lviv last night, seven people were killed, including children.
In the words of Kyiv-based political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, the change in government represents a "planned personnel restructuring". "Now half the government will be renewed. This is Zelensky's style. He believes that the new minister brings new energy, new approaches, works more actively. He expects exactly this effect," Fesenko believes.
The expert also indicated that he does not expect a significant change in the country's foreign policy after the expected release of Kuleba from his post.