Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has submitted his resignation to Parliament, in a reshuffle initiated by President Volodymyr Zelensky to strengthen wartime governance and position key allies ahead of critical foreign policy transitions.

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Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Tuesday that he had submitted his resignation to the Verkhovna Rada, posting a photo of the signed letter on Telegram and thanking President Zelensky “for his trust.”

“Thank you to the entire team for your tireless work for our state!” he added in the post.

The move follows Zelensky’s proposal that First Deputy Prime Minister and current Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko lead the government. The decision, made public after their meeting on July 14, marks what Zelensky described as “the beginning of an executive branch transformation in Ukraine.”

The Rada is expected to vote on the resignation this Wednesday. With the president’s Servant of the People party holding a majority, the motion is unlikely to face resistance. Formal confirmation and the announcement of new cabinet appointments are expected on Thursday.

Shmyhal is reportedly being considered for the post of Defense Minister, while current Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would become ambassador to the United States.

Svyrydenko has played a significant role in Ukraine’s diplomatic relations with Washington, particularly in negotiations over critical mineral agreements—an area of growing strategic importance as Kyiv seeks to secure long-term international support.

The leadership transition reflects a strategic recalibration of Ukraine’s governance as the war continues and its foreign partnerships evolve. These changes may also affect Ukraine’s partnerships with key allies in the Global South, particularly in areas like energy, defense cooperation, and access to strategic resources.

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