Ukraine’s Foreign Minister has become the latest to resign as President Volodymyr Zelensky carries out the most radical government reshuffle since the war with Russia began two and a half years ago.
Dmytro Kuleba, the face of Zelensky’s diplomatic efforts to steer Ukraine towards NATO and the EU, is now the sixth cabinet member to step down in the last 48 hours. According to a well-placed anonymous source, his likely successor is his deputy, Andrii Sybiha.

This reshuffle has left Western allies scratching their heads, particularly after last month’s unexpected incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, the firing of Ukraine’s top general, and the earlier sacking of a minister who worked closely with the US. Kyiv’s habit of sudden personnel changes continues to raise eyebrows about the logic behind them.
Meanwhile, with several high-ranking officials poised for new roles, Zelensky’s reshuffle caps off a week of turmoil as Russia ramps up missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and its forces press further into Donetsk’s eastern region.

As for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), observers are reportedly preparing to increase pressure for the devaluation of the currency, a move designed to secure further funding for Kyiv. IMF meetings kicked off on Wednesday in the capital.
With winter approaching—Ukraine’s third since the war began—the country’s energy infrastructure lies in tatters from repeated attacks. Ukrainians are already enduring power outages during the summer, so one can only imagine what’s to come.

Kuleba, Ukraine’s youngest foreign minister at 43, has been a prominent figure in dealings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other NATO foreign ministers. Now, according to insiders familiar with the reshuffle, his focus will shift to strengthening Ukraine’s ties with NATO as the country pushes for membership.
Though Kuleba led foreign policy, many of Zelensky’s key diplomatic projects—like security guarantees, the so-called peace plan, and engagement with the Global South—fell under the remit of presidential advisor Andriy Yermak. New minister Sybiha has been working as Yermak’s deputy since 2021.
Volodymyr Fesenko, director of the Penta Research Institute in Kyiv, said the reshuffle had been anticipated for months. He attributed it to the president’s emotional fatigue with the cabinet’s operations and his desire to inject new energy into the government.
Kuleba’s departure follows the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna—who is expected to be given a broader mandate—alongside the ministers of Justice, Environment, Reintegration of Occupied Territories, and Strategic Industries. Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk confirmed in a Facebook post that the Ukrainian Parliament will vote on these resignations in its next session.
Zelensky did not provide further details but stated that he expects a “slightly different emphasis” in some domestic and foreign policy areas and added that changes would also take place within the presidential office.

As Ukrainian officials focus on reorganising the government, Russian attacks show no sign of slowing.
This strike followed one of the war’s deadliest attacks on Tuesday, which left over 50 people dead in the central city of Poltava, 300 kilometres southeast of Kyiv.
Zelensky’s reshuffle has also affected other sectors of the administration. The head of state energy company Ukrenergo, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, was sacked following accusations of frequent blackouts and insufficient protection of energy infrastructure, which led to the resignation of two board members who deemed the move “politically motivated.”
Additionally, the head of the State Property Fund and the deputy chief of the presidential office in charge of economic issues also resigned.