What does the government reshuffle in Ukraine mean? Shaking up the country

On September 4, the local media in Ukraine reported the resignation of Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba after a four-year term in office. Appointed in 2020, Kuleba became one of Ukraine's leading voices abroad amid Russia's intervention and systematic bombing of civilian infrastructure and urban areas. However, according to local sources, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not fully satisfied with the Foreign Ministry's performance in strengthening Kyiv's ties with Western partners, particularly in receiving more weaponry and ammunition.

While the Russo-Ukraine is about to enter the third year, the ruling Servant of the People party faces internal and external challenges as public discontent is growing due to the harsh consequences and costs of the war. In this regard, President Zelenskyy recently announced a major government reshuffle in the country since the war erupted. Two of Ukraine’s vice premiers, three ministers, the head of the State Property Fund, and a top official in Zelenskyy's Presidential Office have all quit within the last day, though the parliament did not vote for all resignations.

Although President Zelenskyy did not clarify the reasons for the government reshuffle, Kyiv is likely preparing for a tough fall season in terms of ongoing operations in the Kursk region and relations with the West amid the upcoming elections in the United States (US). Rumors of a reshuffle had been bandied about in Ukraine since early summer due to the evolving opposition against Zelenskyy's administration in light of corruption scandals. The changes come at a critical point in the war, with Russian forces advancing on the eastern front. Zelenskyy is due to travel to the United States, a key ally, this month, where he is expected to outline his "victory plan" to President Joe Biden.

Among the officials who resigned were ministers Oleksandr Kamyshin, the head of strategic industries responsible for arms production, Denys Maliuska, the justice minister, and Ruslan Strilets, who was in charge of environmental protection and natural resources. The deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration since 2020, Olga Stefanishyna, has also resigned.

Considering the vital role of the US in supporting Ukraine against Russia, President Zelenskyy will likely appoint a new foreign minister in a few days to accompany him during his trip to Washington, where he is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly and meet US President Joe Biden. Recently, Zelenskyy stressed Ukraine's need to meet a list of priorities, including attracting investment for its defense industry, improving relations with NATO, and strengthening ties between the central government and communities.

The upgrade of defense capabilities of Ukraine became more critical following a renewed wave of attacks on cities across the country, with more than 50 people killed in a double ballistic missile strike on a military institute and hospital in the central city of Poltava. Since 2023, the Russian forces have increased pressure on the Ukrainian troops in the Donbas front, thus advancing and taking more lands, which alarmed Kyiv and its partners. As such, some experts and European officials initiated debates as to whether Ukraine is able to maintain its position on the frontline. Moreover, countries like Hungary and Slovakia even proposed to stop the arms supply to Kyiv to "push it to launch peace negotiations with Russia."

Hence, while Kyiv now attempts to maintain strategic ties with European partners on the surface, it also invests in boosting the defense industry to decrease dependence on foreign donors. For example, recently, Ukraine unveiled a new long-range weapon, a mix of drone and missile technology that Kyiv believes will significantly boost its ability to combat Russian military attacks. Ukraine believes this new drone technology is a necessity to combat recent Russian advances since its allies still restrict the use of long-range weapons to occupied Ukrainian territory rather than in Russia itself.

The recent government reshuffle in Ukraine is an attempt to prevent potential domestic schism and consolidate international support amid the ongoing incursion into Kursk in an effort to establish a buffer zone against the Russian forces.