Zelensky’s right-hand man resigns amid major reshuffles in Kyiv

It’s not necessary to say that it’s not easy being Volodymyr Zelensky. Being the head of a nation is difficult enough but becoming a wartime leader against a much bigger aggressor is a challenge very few are up for.

However, as the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, drags on,  Zelensky and his government have struggled to keep things together.

Now Zelensky has lost an important ally that has been not only vital for the war effort against Russia, but an important piece of Ukraine’s international strategy.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has resigned following the announcement of a major reshuffle in Zelensky’s cabinet, as Euronews reports.

Euronews writes that Kuleba has been a key figure in guaranteeing the support of Kyiv from the United States, the European Union and other allies around the world in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

One of Kuleba’s biggest accomplishments was visiting China in July 2024 where he met with the country’s Foreign Minister, in what has been described by the website The Diplomat as a new chapter in the Beijing-Kyiv relations.

According to Al Jazeera, Andrii Sybiha has been nominated by Zelensky to replace Kuleba, which was approved by the Ukrainian legislature.

Kuleba is just the highest-profile minister to resign in what has been described by Al Jazeera as the biggest government reshuffle in Ukraine since the start of the war.

Others that have resigned include Justice Minister Denys Malyuska, Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, Environment Protection and Natural Resources Minister Ruslan Strelets.

However, this is hardly the end of Kuleba’s involvement in the Ukrainian government. It has been announced that he will begin a new position, focused on Kyiv’s integration with NATO.

Al Jazeera writes that Zelensky expects the major changes in his government to bring “new energy” into Kyiv and its war effort against Russia. Let’s hope he knows what he is doing.

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