Why did Ukraine shake up its cabinet in the middle of a war?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks “new energy” by way of a major government reshuffle. The resignation of six prominent ministers, including the foreign minister and a deputy prime minister, comes at a pivotal moment in the war against Russia.

First Look

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sept. 4 that Ukraine needed “new energy,” as he ordered a major government reshuffle at a crucial juncture in the war against Russia.

A total of six ministers, including Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, submitted their resignation and parliament accepted the resignations of four.

They included the resignations of a deputy prime minister in charge of European integration, the strategic industries minister overseeing Ukraine’s arms production and two other ministers, the lawmakers said.

“We need new energy today, and these steps are related only to the strengthening of our state in different directions,” President Zelenskiy told media during a joint news conference with a visiting Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris.

Lawmakers said that parliament was expected to consider Mr. Kuleba’s resignation on Thursday.

After President Zelenskiy, Mr. Kuleba was the best-known face of Ukraine overseas, meeting leaders around the world, and lobbying for military and political support in fluent English.

Analysts said the government reset had been planned for some time but was postponed because Zelenskiy had focused on talks with Kyiv’s Western partners through the summer to secure military and financial aid.

“This is a planned personnel overhaul of the government,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst.

“Now half of the government will be renewed. This is Zelenskiy’s style. He believes that the new minister brings new energy, new approaches, works more actively. He expects exactly this effect.”

No foreign policy change

Mr. Fesenko did not expect a major foreign policy change following Mr. Kuleba’s expected dismissal.

President Zelenskiy is expected to nominate his candidate for a new foreign minister on Sept. 4, with first deputy foreign minister Andrii Sybiha among the frontrunners.

The Kremlin said that government changes in Ukraine would not affect a peace negotiation process in any way, although such talks appear a distant prospect with the two warring parties far apart in their objectives.

The next few months are key for President Zelenskiy as he seeks to win more support from the West and seize back the initiative in the war with Russia, after its invasion in February 2022.

Later this month President Zelenskiy travels to the United States, where he hopes to present a “victory plan” to U.S. President Joe Biden, a key ally.

Russian forces are advancing in the east of Ukraine while Ukrainian troops have made a bold incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.

Moscow has intensified drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, while Kyiv launched a mass drone attack on Russia’s energy infrastructure over the weekend.

On Sept. 3, at least 50 people, including soldiers, were killed by two missiles in the central Ukrainian town of Poltava in the deadliest single attack of the war this year.

Analysts said President Zelenskiy’s talent pool was limited, and expected some outgoing ministers to be reappointed to new roles.

Outgoing Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, who oversaw a jump in Ukraine’s domestic arms production, said on Tuesday he would remain in the defense sector in a different role.

Lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said parliament would continue considering resignations and appointments on Thursday. For now, 10 out of 21 ministerial portfolios were vacant.

“Tomorrow the cabinet of ministers will be reset, as it was planned,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

This story was reported by Reuters.