Ukraine Prime Minister Resigns As Zelensky Plans New Foreign Policy Team

Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, resigned on Tuesday as President Volodymyr Zelensky began a major government reshuffle aimed at repositioning the country amid mounting military, diplomatic and economic challenges.

Naija News reports that the Ukrainian parliament formally approved Svyrydenko’s resignation during a vote on Tuesday, bringing her brief tenure as head of government to an end.

Zelensky had yet to announce her successor as of the time of filing this report, but said the administration was “changing its political strategy” in response to “new challenges and new tasks.”

The leadership change comes at a critical stage in Ukraine’s more than four-year war with Russia, as Moscow intensifies ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and Kyiv seeks to strengthen its air defence capabilities.

Svyrydenko, who assumed office in July 2025, was regarded as an important figure in Ukraine’s engagement with the United States.

She was believed to have maintained strong relations with senior American officials and played a leading role in negotiating a minerals investment agreement between Kyiv and Washington.

The deal followed a tense Oval Office encounter involving Zelensky and United States President Donald Trump.

Although Svyrydenko’s resignation was approved by parliament, Zelensky indicated that she could remain part of his administration in a different capacity.

Announcing the planned reshuffle over the weekend, the Ukrainian president said he intended to assign different officials to oversee separate areas of foreign policy.

He added that he had offered Svyrydenko a new position leading “relations with a key partner,” but did not disclose the country or institution involved.

Svyrydenko Defends Record

Reacting to her departure, Svyrydenko said her government had achieved “concrete results” during her period in office.

She also posted a photograph showing her making a heart symbol with her hands while addressing members of parliament.

The prime minister’s office in Ukraine traditionally focuses on domestic administration, economic policy and the implementation of government programmes.

It does not usually play a decisive role in battlefield strategy or frontline military operations, which remain largely under the control of Zelensky and Ukraine’s senior military commanders.

Ukrainian media reports have identified Sergiy Koretsky, the chief executive officer of the state-owned energy company Naftogaz, as the leading candidate to succeed Svyrydenko.

Zelensky met Koretsky during the weekend, shortly after announcing plans to replace the prime minister.

Following the meeting, the Ukrainian leader praised Koretsky’s “effective leadership” in what he described as an “extremely complex sector.”

The remarks further fuelled speculation that the energy executive could be appointed as the country’s next prime minister.

Energy security remains one of Ukraine’s most pressing challenges as the war with Russia continues.

The country’s power infrastructure has suffered repeated damage from Russian missile and drone attacks, resulting in widespread outages, particularly during the winter months.

Kyiv has also announced plans to begin the domestic production of United States-made Patriot air defence systems as part of efforts to protect critical infrastructure and civilian areas from further attacks.

The proposed government reshuffle is expected to affect foreign policy, economic management and Ukraine’s engagement with key international partners as the country seeks continued military and financial support.

Zelensky has presented the changes as necessary to adapt the government to the evolving demands of the war and prepare the country for a new phase of diplomatic and security challenges.