Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed nine new ministers, including the high-profile Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in the most sweeping government overhaul in the country since the Russian invasion of February 2022.
Zelensky, who has been accused of using the Cabinet shuffle to buttress his power within the government while the country is still under martial law, named diplomat Andrii Sybiha as the new foreign minister ahead of a key visit to Washington DC.
Sybiha most recently led the diplomatic efforts of the President's Office, keeping a low-profile despite the potentially high-profile nature of the role, the Kyiv Independent reported. His main task was to assist Zelensky and Andriy Yermak, the powerful head of the President's Office with meetings with foreign officials and phone calls with Western leaders.
Zelensky also named Oleksiy Kuleba, formerly a deputy head in the President's Office, as named deputy prime minister in charge of Reconstruction, Regions, and Infrastructure, an influential role in the $500 billion-$1 trillion reconstruction of the country expected to accelerate when the war ends.
Olha Stefanyshina, who has led Ukraine's push to join the European Union and NATO, was assigned an expanded role combining her previous duties with those of the justice minister.
Zelensky also appointed new ministers for agriculture, culture, environment, veteran affairs, and sport.
