Major political shake-up in Kyiv as Ukrainian FM Kuleba resigns

Kyiv: Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Speaker of Ukraine's Parliament, confirmed on Wednesday that the war-torn country's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has submitted his resignation.

"The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukraine's Parliament) received a statement from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine D.I. Kuleba. about his resignation," Stefanchuk said in a social media post.

"The application will be considered at one of the nearest plenary sessions," he said further, without providing any date.

Kuleba has been a central figure in Ukraine's foreign relations since his appointment in 2020, particularly in garnering international support following the start of conflict with Russia in February 2022.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister's resignation follows a wave of other high-profile resignations on Tuesday, signalling a significant reshuffle in the government led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Among those who also stepped down are Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Ecology Minister Ruslan Strilets, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, and Deputy Prime Minister and Reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.

These changes come as the war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified following Kyiv's recent military efforts in the Kursk region.

Reports indicate that the government shake-up could be part of a strategic move by Zelensky ahead of his planned visit to Washington next month, where he is expected to present a "victory plan" to US President Joe Biden.

David Arakhamia, the parliamentary leader of the ruling Servant of the People party, stated that more than half of the Cabinet's staff would be replaced as part of the reset.

Zelensky, in his regular evening address on Tuesday, emphasised the need for state institutions to be "configured" to meet Ukraine's goals, hinting at further changes within the President's office, as well.

This is not the first major shake-up under Zelensky's leadership. The Ukrainian President has repeatedly revamped his government, including the dismissal of Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov last year and the replacement of Kyiv's top commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi earlier this year.

As Ukraine continues to navigate the challenges of war and governance, these changes are aimed at reinforcing the country's leadership and strategic direction, particularly in its international relations and defence efforts.