Ukraine Ukrainian parliament dismisses Foreign Minister Kuleba

The Ukrainian parliament has dismissed Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in a formal vote following his request to resign. A clear majority voted in favor of the 43-year-old's dismissal, as reported by local media.

Kuleba was one of Ukraine's best-known faces in the West. The chief diplomat repeatedly appealed for support for Ukraine in its defensive struggle against the Russian invasion.

His designated successor is the previous deputy Andrij Sybiha. The 49-year-old diplomat was Deputy Head of the President's Office until April. According to the constitution, the foreign minister is proposed to parliament by the president.

Kuleba, who had headed the ministry since 2020, did not appear in parliament himself, according to the media. He had submitted his resignation the day before. According to media reports, he is to take up a new post to promote the integration of his home country into NATO.

According to a report by Ukrainian public television, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi accused Kuleba at a parliamentary group meeting of the presidential party "Servants of the People" of not doing enough to promote further arms deliveries.

Kuleba's dismissal is part of government restructuring

Kuleba's dismissal is part of a government reshuffle in Ukraine. According to reports in Kiev, around half of the ministerial posts are to be filled with new appointments and some portfolios are also to be changed. Selensky had justified the government reshuffle by saying that the country needed a fresh start. "We need new energy today," said the head of state.

Critics consider the restructuring to be window-dressing and actionism in order to feign change and distract attention from the failures in the fight against the Russian invasion.

The problems with the energy supply caused by the constant Russian attacks on the infrastructure are also increasing the population's dissatisfaction with its own leadership.