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Ukraine's Prime Minister resigns, opening the door to a broad government reshuffle

Ukraine's Prime Minister resigns, opening the door to a broad government reshuffle

The Hindu16-07-2025
Ukraine's Prime Minister announced his resignation on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) in the first formal step of what is expected to be a significant reshuffle of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government, which could also see the country's ambassador to Washington replaced.
'I am tendering my resignation from the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine,' Denys Shmyhal wrote in a letter posted on his Telegram page.
Mr. Zelenskyy said on Monday (July 14, 2025) that he has offered Mr. Shmyhal's job to 39-year-old Yuliia Svyrydenko, who is currently Deputy Prime Minister and the country's first female Economy Minister.
Ms. Svyrydenko played a key role in negotiating a U.S.–Ukraine mineral agreement. She has frequently represented Ukraine in high-level talks with Western partners, focusing on defense cooperation, economic recovery and reconstruction.
It wasn't immediately clear how the reshuffle will play out in coming days, as the Ukrainian Parliament must schedule a vote on Mr. Zelenskyy's proposed changes amid the all-out war launched by Russia on Feb. 24, 2022.
The reshuffle coincides with increasing pressure on the front line by Russia's bigger army and escalating assaults by drones and missiles on Ukrainian cities.
U.S. President Donald Trump pledged on Monday to supply more weapons for Ukraine, paid for by European countries. But Kyiv officials are keen to lock in Washington's future support amid fears that the Republican administration could walk away from the conflict.
'To us it is very important, in the context of what is happening now, to strengthen ties with the U.S.,' Mr. Zelenskyy said last week.
The Ukrainian leader recently said that he thought Mr. Shmyhal would make a good Defense Minister — a move that would make the current defense chief, Rustem Umerov, available to take over as Ukraine's envoy to Washington, observers note.
Mr. Zelenskyy had previously voiced his intention to replace U.S. Ambassador Oksana Markarova.
Mr. Umerov, 43, was appointed as Ukraine's Defense Minister in September 2023, following a series of corruption scandals. He has sought to introduce reforms, but critics said that the Defense Ministry was plagued by mismanagement.
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What is 'Russian influence' in Ukraine's corruption that Zelensky is talking about?

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EU pushes for trade reset as China's Xi urges ‘proper handling' of disputes, strategic choices

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Air India crash: How to spin-doctor and peddle narratives, the Western way

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They need Indian readers. I have been shouting from the rooftops for years that one of these charlatan media houses needs to be kicked out, harshly, with 24 hours' notice to wind up and leave. As in the Asian proverb, 'Kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.' The monkeys will notice, and behave. Otherwise, the information warfare is just going to get worse. The writer has been a conservative columnist for over 25 years. His academic interest is innovation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.

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