Zelenskiy taps deputy prime minister to helm government amid war gridlock
On July 14, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy nominated First Deputy PM Yulia Svyrydenko, aged 39, to take over the premiership from Denys Shmyhal, marking a significant executive reshuffle amid a stagnant peace process with Russia.
Zelenskiy highlighted the reshuffle as vital for boosting Ukraine’s economic resilience and accelerating domestic arms production, noting negotiations with Western partners including the U.S. on critical mineral deals.
Svyrydenko, an economist instrumental in recent U.S. mineral agreements, pledged a policy agenda centered on deregulation, bureaucracy reduction, and funneling resources to defense and post-war recovery .
Her nomination must now pass parliament, and if confirmed, she will become Ukraine’s youngest PM in decades, succeeding Shmyhal—whose five-year tenure is the longest since Ukraine’s independence.
The move underscores Kyiv’s desire to sharpen its wartime strategy with a leaner, results-driven cabinet focused on survival and rebuilding.
Adedayo Obadina
Talksocialtalks
