UKRAINIAN PREMIER YULIIA SVYRYDENKO APPOINTED, SHMYHAL MOVES TO DEFENSE MINISTRY
In a significant wartime reshuffle, Ukraine has appointed Yuliia Svyrydenko as its new Prime Minister, replacing Denys Shmyhal, who will now lead the Ministry of Defense. The Ukrainian parliament approved Svyrydenko’s appointment with broad support on July 17, 2025, marking a major political transition as the country enters a critical phase in its war against Russia.
Yuliia Svyrydenko, 39, is a respected technocrat and economist who previously served as the First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister. Known for her pro-Western orientation and reformist agenda, Svyrydenko has played a key role in maintaining Ukraine’s economic resilience during wartime. She was instrumental in securing foreign investments, particularly a strategic minerals agreement with the United States, which has strengthened Ukraine’s long-term industrial and defense potential.
Her appointment as Prime Minister was supported by 262 members of Ukraine’s 450-seat parliament. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised her as “a leader capable of combining economic growth, transparency, and the demands of wartime governance.” International leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have congratulated Svyrydenko, signaling continued EU and NATO support for Kyiv’s leadership and reforms.
As Prime Minister, Svyrydenko is expected to focus on accelerating economic recovery, expanding domestic weapons production, deepening ties with Western allies, and sustaining Ukraine’s war economy. She has pledged to streamline defense procurement, push for anti-corruption reforms, and reinforce domestic manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign arms.
Meanwhile, Denys Shmyhal, who served as Prime Minister since 2020, has been appointed Minister of Defense—a position critical to Ukraine’s military strategy and wartime decision-making. Shmyhal replaces Rustem Umerov, and his appointment was approved with 267 votes. The move underscores Zelenskyy’s trust in Shmyhal’s crisis leadership experience and aims to strengthen political coordination between civilian and military institutions.
At the Ministry of Defense, Shmyhal has outlined ambitious goals: increasing domestic weapons production to meet 50% of the army’s demand within six months, improving logistics, and modernizing command structures. He will also oversee the integration of the Ministry for Strategic Industries into the Defense Ministry—an effort to streamline the industrial-military complex and boost innovation in arms manufacturing.
This reshuffle is part of a broader government overhaul involving multiple ministries. Analysts view it as a strategic response to intensifying Russian offensives and as a preparation for potential long-term mobilization. With support from international partners and additional U.S. Patriot missile systems en route, Ukraine is signaling a more coordinated and proactive war strategy.
Critics, however, caution that consolidating so much power under the executive branch could raise governance concerns. Still, public sentiment within Ukraine appears largely supportive, with citizens eager for more effective wartime leadership and economic stability.