Ukraine's Parliament appointed Yulia Svyrydenko as the new prime minister on Thursday, the first in five years, as part of a major cabinet reshuffle led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This reshuffle aims to strengthen the country's management amid the war with Russia and in light of the growing difficulty of reaching a peaceful solution. Svyrydenko, 39 years old, is an experienced technocrat who has already served as first deputy prime minister since 2021, and has been a prominent figure in international economic negotiations.
Zelensky tasked the new head of government with three main priorities for the next six months: ensuring a steady supply to the army, increasing domestic weapons production, and boosting the technological capacity of the defense forces.
In his speech before Parliament, the Ukrainian leader also emphasized the importance of economic deregulation and expanding cooperation with allied countries. A specific goal is to increase the share of domestic weaponry on the battlefield from 40% to 50%.
Svyrydenko reaffirmed this commitment through her account on X, where she stated she would move "quickly and decisively" because "the war leaves no room for delay." In addition to her role in the economy and defense, Svyrydenko has been a prominent figure in relations with the United States, especially after negotiating an agreement that grants this country preferential access to Ukraine's mineral resources, which was considered vital for strengthening bilateral ties.
Parliament also approved other key appointments. Denys Shmyhal, until now prime minister and a figure of continuity since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, was appointed defense minister.
