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Zelenskyy names Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko as Ukraine's new PM

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko speaks at the parliament in Kyiv, 8 May, 2025
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko speaks at the parliament in Kyiv, 8 May, 2025 Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By Gavin Blackburn
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Svyrydenko has a background as an economist and has held several positions in the Ukrainian government, including Minister of Economic Development and Trade and Deputy Head of the Office of the President.

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has invited the country's deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko to be prime minister.

"We are launching a transformation of the executive branch in Ukraine. I have invited Yulia Svyrydenko to head the government of Ukraine and to significantly upgrade its work," he said in a post on X.

"I look forward to presenting the new government's action program in the near future."

Svyrydenko’s appointment, which has to be approved by parliament, is part of Zelenskyy's government reshuffle.

For Svyrydenko to become the next head of government, incumbent Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal must submit his resignation to parliament, which must then vote on the issue.

Parliament is next due to sit this week and Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party controls the majority of seats so his nomination of Svyrydenko is expected to pass with little opposition.

A worker controls extraction of ilmenite in an open pit mine in the central region of Kirovohrad, 12 February, 2025
A worker controls extraction of ilmenite in an open pit mine in the central region of Kirovohrad, 12 February, 2025 AP Photo

Svyrydenko has a background as an economist and has held several positions in the Ukrainian government, including minister of economic development and trade and deputy head of the office of the president.

Svyrydenko came to international prominence earlier this year as one of the key driving forces behind the Ukraine-US minerals exploitation deal.

She led the Ukrainian delegation to Washington and signed the deal on behalf of Ukraine on 30 April with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The agreement establishes a joint reconstruction investment fund to develop Ukraine’s mineral resources sector, with equal profit sharing between the two countries.

The deal was seen as strengthening Ukraine’s economic recovery and securing long-term cooperation with Washington.

Additional sources • AP

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