Zelensky announces restructuring of government leadership, with Kuleba also stepping down.
"We need a fresh start," was Zelensky's response to a query concerning the government shake-up's reasons. "And these actions are interlinked with enhancing our nation's strength in various sectors." Ukraine has been enduring the Russian invasion for approximately two and a half years. Zelensky expressed his appreciation towards the ministers and the entire cabinet, he added.
On a Tuesday evening, the Servant of the People party's faction leader, David Arakhamia, revealed that at least six government officials had handed in their resignations. Among them were the ministers for strategic industries, justice, and environmental protection. Arakhamia declared a "resignation day" for the following day.
On Wednesday morning, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced that Foreign Minister Kuleba had also submitted his resignation. Throughout the day, the deputies accepted the resignations of four ministers, a deputy prime minister's dismissal was not supported by sufficient votes, and Kuleba's resignation vote was postponed to Thursday, as per parliamentary sources.
The reasons for Ukrainian Chief Diplomat Kuleba's resignation were not initially disclosed. However, there had been rumors for weeks about Kuleba's imminent departure from the government.
Kuleba has been in office since 2020. The 43-year-old is highly popular in his home country and widely recognized internationally. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he has advocated for international support and imposed sanctions against Moscow abroad.
According to Ukrainian media, Kuleba is expected to be replaced by his current deputy Andriy Sybiga, a former deputy head of the presidential administration. Sybiga's appointment as Kuleba's deputy in April was seen as an attempt by the presidential administration to exert more influence over the foreign ministry. The new cabinet appointments are to be announced from Thursday, according to Arakhamia.
As reported by AFP from the presidential administration, Zelensky and Kuleba aim to "discuss and decide" about his future role. There are speculations that Kuleba could be assigned the responsibility of spearheading Ukraine's NATO membership bid at the earliest opportunity.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) lamented her colleague's resignation, writing on the online platform X, "There are few individuals with whom I've collaborated as closely." She added that it was challenging for such a respected colleague to leave.
Meanwhile, the relentless Russian air attacks on Ukraine continued. The following day after a particularly intense attack that resulted in over 50 fatalities in the heart of Ukraine, the authorities reported attacks in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
According to the prosecutor's office, seven people lost their lives in the nighttime shelling, including children. According to the regional military administration, 53 people were injured in Lviv.
More than 50 buildings were damaged in the historic city center, including two medical facilities and two schools, as per the Ministry of Culture. According to regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi, at least seven architecturally significant buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town were affected.
According to the Ukrainian army, Lviv's attack was part of a massive assault involving 13 missiles and 29 drones. The air force intercepted seven missiles and 22 drones, according to their reports.
Zelensky denounced the "Russian acts of terrorism on Ukrainian cities." He reiterated his call to Western allies to swiftly provide Ukraine with new air defense systems and authorize the use of long-range weapons already delivered for attacks on Russian territory.
Since Ukraine's advance into Russian-occupied Kursk at the beginning of August, Moscow has escalated its attacks on Ukraine. On Tuesday alone, a devastating attack in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava resulted in at least 53 deaths and 271 injuries, as per Ukrainian reports.
Also, Zelensky expressed his gratitude towards Kuleba for his contributions to Ukraine's foreign relations, acknowledging his significant role in advocating for international support.
Furthermore, there were rumors suggesting that Kuleba's resignation could be linked to his potential appointment to spearhead Ukraine's NATO membership bid.
