New FM and Justice Minister Appointed Amid Major Government Shake-Up

The Verkhovna Rada appointed new ministers for Foreign Affairs and Justice amid a significant government reshuffle on Thursday, Sept. 5, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported on Telegram.

This week, the Cabinet of Ministers has seen a major personnel overhaul, with several ministers resigning and others transitioning to new roles.

Andriy Sybiha has been appointed as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs with the support of 258 parliamentarians.

His predecessor, Dmytro Kuleba, had resigned on Wednesday, but his dismissal was postponed by parliament. On Thursday, however, the lawmakers finalized Kuleba’s dismissal and confirmed Sybiha’s appointment.

Sybiha previously served in the Ukrainian embassies in Poland and Turkey and held roles in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including first secretary of the Department of Legal and Humanitarian Cooperation.

From 2021 to 2024, he was deputy head of the Office of the President, focusing on foreign policy and strategic partnerships. This year, he was appointed First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Olha Stefanishyna was appointed as the new Vice-Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, also serving as the Minister of Justice, with the backing of 253 parliamentarians.

She takes over from Denys Malyuska, who led the ministry for five years.

Stefanishyna’s previous roles include director of the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and General Director of the Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

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The Verkhovna Rada also appointed Oleksiy Kuleba as Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction – Minister of Development of Communities and Territories.

He will oversee the Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure, which will soon integrate the Ministry of Reintegration and later split into two separate ministries.

Kuleba’s previous positions include deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration, head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, and deputy head of the Office of the President.

The European Union is closely monitoring these personnel changes. European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that while the EU does not comment on specific appointments, it values steady and reliable partners and expects ongoing effective cooperation with Ukraine. He said that the EU has appreciated the work of former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and hopes for similar positive engagement with the new Ukrainian leadership.