Ukraine’s parliament voted on Thursday to appoint Yulia Svyrydenko as the country’s new prime minister, according to statements from lawmakers on social media.
According to several lawmakers, 262 of them voted for Svyrydenko, a comfortable majority in the 450-seat parliament. Ukraine’s parliament does not broadcast its sessions in wartime.
Zelenskyy-Supported Candidate
Her appointment was supported by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his biggest government reshuffle since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
Svyrydenko, 39, has served as the economy minister and one of Ukraine’s deputy prime ministers since November 2021.
A photograph of the electronic vote table in the chamber posted by another lawmaker, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, showed 22 votes against her appointment and 26 abstentions.
Parliament is also expected to vote through the appointment of outgoing PM Denys Shmyhal, who served for more than five years in the role, as defence minister.
Cabinet Reshuffle
Zelenskyy said he wanted his reshuffled cabinet to focus on deregulation, expanding economic co-operation with allies, and stronger punishments for those who threatened Ukraine’s statehood and “stole Ukraine’s potential.”
Svyrydenko has experience working with top officials in Washington, having negotiated and signed a deal with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in April that gave the U.S. preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and will help fund investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
In a speech to parliament on Thursday, shortly before the vote to confirm Svyrydenko, Zelenskyy spoke of unspecified future agreements with the United States, which he said would strengthen Ukraine.
The incoming PM was congratulated on her appointment by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“We stand fully behind you as you fight for Ukraine’s survival and work for your country’s recovery and EU future.”
However, some Ukrainian opposition lawmakers voiced scepticism about the new government.
Yaroslav Zheleznyak of the Holos party said the new government would be largely in hock to Zelenskyy, who has significant wartime powers under Ukraine’s constitution.
“They will be told by the president’s office what they should really do,” he wrote.
Audit Of Public Spending
Ukraine’s newly appointed PM Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Thursday that her government would be launching a full audit of public finances to achieve “real savings”, and that large-scale privatisations should be accelerated.
Svyrydenko, who was voted in by parliament earlier in the day, said on X that her priorities in the role would be to ensure reliable supplies to the army and to expand domestic weapons production.
(With inputs from Reuters)
