The resignation of Dmytro Kuleba is a component of a broader ministerial restructuring aimed at revitalizing Ukraine's government during wartime.
Ukraine’s top foreign diplomat, Dmytro Kuleba, has resigned in the most significant shake-up of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government since the war began. Kuleba, a prominent figure in Ukraine’s cabinet, has been advocating for enhanced air defense systems and fewer restrictions on Western missiles, but his appeals have largely gone unanswered in recent months.
Kuleba is among several high-ranking officials, including two deputy prime ministers, three ministers, and the head of Ukraine’s state property fund, who have stepped down, as announced by Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament.
President Zelensky stated that the reshuffle is aimed at revitalizing Ukraine’s institutions. “Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine. Our state institutions must be configured to ensure we achieve all the necessary results,” he said on Tuesday night. “To do this, we need to strengthen certain areas in the government, and personal decisions have been made.”
This wave of resignations comes at a critical time for Ukraine, as Russia is making significant advances in the eastern Donetsk region. Moscow has also intensified its long-range attacks across Ukraine, including a strike on Wednesday in the western city of Lviv that killed at least seven people. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed over 500 square miles of territory in Russia’s southern Kursk region.
The reshuffle marks the largest change in Zelensky’s government since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, is the most notable figure affected by this restructuring. He had been responsible for persuading Ukraine’s Western allies, particularly the US and UK, to permit long-range missile strikes within Russia. Additionally, he led recent efforts to secure additional Patriot air-defense systems, though he recently criticized unnamed allies for not fulfilling their promises.
Rumors of Kuleba’s removal have circulated for some time, with suggestions that Zelensky might be consolidating power within his administration. Ukrainian media have reported that Andrii Sybiha, the deputy foreign minister, is likely to succeed Kuleba.
Olha Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for Euro-Atlantic integration, confirmed that she was among those who resigned. Stefanishyna played a key role in helping Ukraine attain EU candidate status within months of Russia’s invasion. Other officials who resigned include Oleksandr Kamyshin, the minister of strategic industries, Denys Maliuska, the justice minister, Ruslan Strilets, the minister of environmental protection and natural resources, and Vitaliy Koval, the head of the state property fund.
Additional resignations and dismissals are anticipated in the coming days, with their fates to be decided at an upcoming parliamentary session, according to Speaker Stefanchuk. Zelensky also removed Rostyslav Shurma, a senior adviser on economic and energy policy, from his presidential office.
Many of the outgoing ministers are expected to be offered new roles within a restructured government. Ukrainian outlet Suspilne reported that Kuleba might lead a new ministry focused on Ukraine’s regions and temporarily occupied territories. Stefanishyna told the Financial Times that she might receive an expanded mandate, possibly including the justice ministry.
Since the war began, Zelensky has dismissed several high-profile officials. Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko noted that Zelensky is likely aiming to prevent stagnation in key ministries. “He believes that new people will be more motivated and bring fresh ideas,” Fesenko said. However, the extensive reshuffle has raised concerns that Zelensky is tightening his control. “In practice, we see that all decisions are being made by the president’s office,” Fesenko added.
Moscow has dismissed the idea that the reshuffle will impact potential negotiations with Kyiv. “No, it will have no impact,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “You can see how tense the situation is, especially in the past few days, but we are closely monitoring developments.”
Meanwhile, seven people, including three children, were killed when ballistic missiles struck Lviv in the early hours of Wednesday. Dozens of others were wounded, and about 50 buildings in the city’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, were damaged. Explosions were also reported in Kyiv as air defenses intercepted Russian missiles.
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