Ukrainian parliament confirms new prime minister in major government shake-up

Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has voted to confirm Yulia Svyrydenko as Ukraine’s new prime minister, in what is the country’s most significant government shake-up since 2022, RBC-Ukraine reported on Thursday.

Svyrydenko, a 39-year-old economist from Chernihiv, northern Ukraine, previously served as the economy minister and first deputy prime minister. She becomes only the second woman to lead Ukraine’s cabinet, and the first in the last 15 years.

As the country’s economy minister, Svyrydenko notably signed a long-awaited minerals deal between the US and Ukraine in May, which will see the two countries share revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources and establish an investment fund for the country’s post-war reconstruction.

Her appointment was approved by 262 lawmakers, while 22 voted against and 26 abstained, Rada Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced on Telegram Thursday.

Svyrydenko succeeds Denys Shymal, who had served as prime minister since 2020 and is now expected to become defence minister, replacing Rustem Umerov.

“It is a great honour for me to lead the Government of Ukraine today,” Svyrydenko wrote on X following her confirmation, urging the government to “act swiftly and decisively” amid the ongoing war. “Our priorities for the first six months are clear: reliable supply for the army, expansion of domestic weapons production, and boosting the technological strength of our defence forces,” she continued.

The Verkhovna Rada is now expected to vote on the remaining cabinet appointments, which were revealed after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled his proposed lineup for a new government on Wednesday, following the Shmyhal cabinet’s formal dissolution.

“Today is the 1240th day of the full-scale war. We all want peace as soon as possible and we want it to be a just peace for Ukraine,” Zelensky told the parliament before Svyrydenko’s confirmation on Thursday. “At the same time, we all see how difficult it is to maintain sufficient support from the world,” he added, noting that Ukraine “needs more of its own strength”.

Zelensky requested that the new government audit all defence and military programmes to ensure that they are “implemented to the fullest extent possible in Ukraine’s interests”, and called for a diplomatic approach towards the US ahead of forthcoming bilateral agreements.

In Ukraine’s semi-presidential system, the president has the authority to nominate a prime minister, but the appointment must be approved by parliament. Once confirmed, the prime minister submits nominees for ministerial posts, which also require parliamentary approval.