Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba resigned on Wednesday and after that four ministers have been dismissed by the Ukrainian Parliament.
According to the report of news agency Xinhua, MPs for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration voted to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishina, Justice Minister Denis Malyuska, Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin and Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Minister Ruslan Strelets.
The Parliament did not consider the dismissal of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who resigned on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the objectives of the cabinet reshuffle that this is being done to strengthen Ukraine in various stages.
Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk wrote on the social media platform Facebook that on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba submitted his resignation letter to the Parliament. Ruslan Stefanchuk said on the resignation of the Foreign Minister that the Parliament will consider the application of Dmytro Kuleba in the nearest plenary session. In March 2020, 43-year-old Kuleba was appointed Ukraine’s foreign minister.
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The replacement of more than 50 percent of the cabinet staff was reported by David Arakhamia, leader of the parliamentary faction of the Servant of the People party, on Telegram.
President Zelensky expressed his opinion on this issue in a joint press conference with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris and said that he does not know whether his proposal to include the candidate in the government will be accepted or not, so he cannot announce any replacement.
‘Deputy Chief of Staff’ Rostislav Shurma, who used to handle the economy, has also been dismissed and this information has been received from the President’s website. Kuleba’s resignation was not considered even after the end of the parliamentary session.
These important changes are taking place in the Parliament of Ukraine at a time when the Russian army is advancing on the eastern front due to the war. Ukrainian President Zelensky is scheduled to visit the United States, a key ally, this month and is expected to discuss his ‘victory plan’ with US President Joe Biden.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has ordered a series of reshuffles since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. He sacked his defence minister last September over a series of corruption scandals and recently removed the army’s top commander after failures in the war.
Several ministers were sacked and resigned earlier this year, leaving at least five portfolios vacant. The vacant portfolios include key departments such as agriculture and infrastructure.
Opposition legislator Iryna Herashchenko said the government was a government without ministers. She called for a government dedicated to national unity that would end the tight grip of Zelensky’s political team on the reins of power.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s term ended in May 2024, but he remains in office due to the imposition of martial law in Ukraine.
