Ukrainian lawmakers were preparing on Monday to vote on a new government after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would replace Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko after only a year in office, triggering the resignation of the cabinet.

The move, announced on Sunday, came as Kyiv faces intensified Russian attacks and continues to function under martial law, which has suspended elections and left reshuffles as one of Zelenskiy’s few available tools for changing his top team.

The parliamentary procedure to set up a new government could begin as soon as Tuesday.

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A careful reset

Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said Svyrydenko had submitted her resignation and that lawmakers would consider it “in the near future in accordance with the established procedure.”

Zelenskyy said the changes were needed to “ensure the implementation of an updated political strategy,” though he did not spell out who would take over or what Svyrydenko’s next role would be.

He added that the shake-up was meant to bring “renewal” at the top of government and law enforcement agencies, strengthen Ukraine’s bid for more air defenses from allies, and prepare the country for renewed Russian attacks on the power grid this winter.

Names abound, certainty does not

Lawmakers were already floating several names as possible successors, including Serhiy Koretskyi, head of the state oil and gas firm Naftogaz; Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, who previously served as defense minister; and current Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Zelenskyy posted images of meetings with each of them after announcing Svyrydenko’s dismissal. The president’s office is also looking at changes in law enforcement leadership.

But the possibility of moving Fedorov away from defense has prompted concern among some analysts and opposition lawmakers, who warned that it could disrupt military reforms at a sensitive point in the war.

Will this reshuffle change Ukraine’s wartime course?

The reshuffle is the latest in a series of wartime overhauls under Zelenskyy, who has leaned on cabinet changes and leadership shifts while elections remain barred under martial law.

The last major shake-up came late last year, when the president replaced his long-serving chief of staff amid a corruption probe.

Opposition figures argued that the latest move is unlikely to broaden the government’s talent pool, saying it risks becoming a rotation of the same loyalists.

For now, lawmakers are expected to take up Svyrydenko’s resignation first, with the broader government formation process likely to follow soon after.

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FAQs

Q1: Why did Ukraine’s prime minister Yuliia Svyrydenko resign?

Yuliia Svyrydenko resigned after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to replace her as part of a broader government reshuffle.

Q2: Who could become Ukraine’s next prime minister?

Ukrainian lawmakers are expected to consider a new government, with several senior officials being discussed as potential successors, though no appointment has been confirmed.