Amid its war with Russia, Ukraine made a significant change to its cabinet

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.

Additionally, Svitlana Hrynchuk was appointed energy minister. Two former subordinates of Svyrydenko were also promoted: Oleksiy Sobolev as minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, and Taras Kachka as deputy prime minister for European integration.

This new government formation takes power while Russia continues a prolonged offensive along a front line of more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), with intense airstrikes on Ukrainian cities.

Faced with the growing military challenge, Ukraine is betting on the development of a national defense industry, largely supported by foreign investment, to confront the Russian army, which has greater resources and weaponry.

Another critical challenge will be financial. With most of the state budget dedicated to defense, Ukraine faces a possible fiscal gap of up to $19 billion in 2026, due to reduced foreign aid. To address this situation, Svyrydenko has pledged a comprehensive audit of public finances, to promote large-scale privatizations, and to support entrepreneurs.

Nevertheless, some opposition lawmakers have expressed doubts about the independence of the new government in relation to the presidential administration, which holds broad powers due to martial law.

Yaroslav Zheleznyak, from the Holos party, argued that "the president's office will be the one to actually tell them what to do." Still, the new ministers insist on their commitment to reforms and efficiency in wartime.