Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jul 16
Ukraine Parliament Approves 264-Seat Cabinet Under PM Koretskyi as Defense and Foreign Posts Stay Open
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jul 16

Ukraine Parliament Approves 264-Seat Cabinet Under PM Koretskyi as Defense and Foreign Posts Stay Open

3 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jul 16

Summary

  • 264 of 392 lawmakers backed Serhii Koretskyi's Cabinet on July 16, with 15 voting against, 19 abstaining and 20 not voting.
  • Defense and foreign minister nominees were held back for later submission by President Volodymyr Zelensky, leaving two of the most sensitive wartime posts unresolved.
  • The vote came after Zelensky's dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov triggered nationwide protests the same day, clouding the reshuffle that followed parliament's dismissal of the previous government.
  • Several senior figures kept their jobs, including Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko and Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, signaling continuity alongside the broader reset.
  • New appointees included Vitaliy Kim as veteran affairs minister and Vsevolod Chentsov as deputy prime minister for European integration, underscoring Kyiv's twin focus on war management and EU accession.

Insights

Can Zelenskyy's government overhaul escape the shadow of the massive 'Mindichgate' corruption scandal?
Who is Serhii Koretskyi, the top PM candidate, and can he fix Ukraine's struggling wartime economy?
With US aid reduced, can a new cabinet secure the European support needed to win the war?