Denys Shmyhal, 49, has been Ukraine's Prime Minister since 2020, leading the government to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict with Russia since 2022.
In a video address on the evening of July 14, President Zelensky praised Denys Shmyhal's experience in managing the country's limited resources, saying that this would be very valuable in his new role.
The Ukrainian president said: "Mr. Denys Shmyhal's extensive experience will certainly be very valuable in his position as Defense Minister of Ukraine - especially in this field, the country's resources are being concentrated, the number of tasks is at the highest level and the responsibility is huge".
President Zelensky nominated Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Sviridenko as Shmigal's replacement as Prime Minister.
Sviridenko, 39, who is known for her mediation of a deal allowing the US to access incentives for Ukraine's mineral resources, said she would soon present an action plan for the cabinet and the government.
The reform will require parliamentary approval after Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal officially submitted his resignation. A vote to remove the current cabinet is expected to take place as early as July 16.
According to President Zelensky, outgoing Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who also led the Ukrainian delegation to negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, is the main candidate for the new Ukrainian Ambassador to the US.
We need a strong person and put ourselves in the context of the most important thing, in the context of strengthening Ukraine, first of all through weapons, President Zelensky said after meeting with Mr. Umerov at the weekend.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has faced many corruption scandals in recent years. Former Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov resigned in 2023 after a scandal over food contracts being overcharged for the military.
Four months later, his successor, Minister Umerov, said an internal audit by the ministry had discovered about $262 million in corruption. Mr. Umerov himself is also said to be being investigated by the anti-corruption agency for allegedly abusing power related to defense procurement.
