Ukraine creates department for unfriendly countries in major Foreign Ministry overhaul

Ukraine has established a new department within its Ministry of Foreign Affairs dedicated to managing relations with "unfriendly countries," including Russia, Belarus, and North Korea, as part of a sweeping structural reform aimed at adapting its diplomatic service to the realities of wartime.

The newly created unit will not focus on bilateral relations, but rather on identifying and countering external threats to Ukraine’s security, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, wrote on Facebook, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the minister, the decision reflects the country's need to defend itself from full-scale invsasion and respond more effectively to hostile actors. The department will be overseen by the ministry’s first deputy and forms part of a broader realignment of Ukraine's foreign policy apparatus.

Approved at the first meeting of the reestablished College of the Foreign Ministry, the restructuring introduces a wide range of institutional changes designed to increase efficiency, adopt European standards, and strengthen Ukraine’s diplomatic capacity. The reforms follow a directive by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to modernize and enhance the ministry’s operations.

Among the major changes is the creation of a Department of International Security and Defense, replacing outdated units such as the former disarmament department, which has now been officially phased out.

A separate Sanctions Policy Department has also been introduced to consolidate and coordinate Ukraine’s efforts in enforcing and monitoring international sanctions, particularly in response to Russia’s invasion.

Regional divisions have been reorganized to reflect European practices. The Americas portfolio has been split, with the United States and Canada now handled separately from Latin American and Caribbean affairs. Additional departments have been formed for Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Africa, and regional African organizations. Central Asia has also been assigned a dedicated management unit, underlining the region's growing strategic importance.

Ukraine’s aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration are reflected in the separation of the European Union and NATO portfolios. A new NATO management unit has been formed to intensify cooperation with the Alliance, while EU affairs will be managed by a standalone department focused on Ukraine’s entry into the bloc.

Other institutional changes include the creation of a Department of Economic Diplomacy and Restoration, which will work to open markets, support Ukrainian exporters, attract investment, and coordinate international efforts for the country's postwar recovery. The Ministry has also established departments for cyber diplomacy, international law and legal counteraction to aggression, and innovation and artificial intelligence.

The reforms further emphasize engagement with Ukrainians abroad. For the first time, a Department of World Ukraine and Humanitarian Cooperation has been created to strengthen ties with the Ukrainian diaspora and promote global humanitarian outreach.

The ministry’s internal processes are also being modernized. A new HR department will focus on staff recruitment and motivation, while cultural and academic institutions such as the Ukrainian Institute and the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine are set to be upgraded, with plans to turn the academy into a full-fledged university.

In a symbolic move, the ministry has abolished the Soviet-era territorial department coding system—long known internally by codes such as 1TD or 2TD—in favor of clearly named, region-specific departments in line with European diplomatic norms.

Sybiha stated that these changes reflect the wartime demands on Ukraine's diplomacy and its strategic direction as a European state.

By Sabina Mammadli