Ukraine's parliament voted on Thursday to appoint Yulia Svyrydenko as the country's new prime minister, MPs said on social media.
According to several MPs, 262 of them voted for Svyrydenko, a comfortable majority in the 450-seat parliament. Ukraine's parliament does not broadcast its sessions in wartime.
Her appointment was supported by President Volodymyr Zelensky as part of his biggest government reshuffle since Russia's invasion began in February 2022.
Svyrydenko, 39, has served as economy minister and one of Ukraine's deputy prime ministers since November 2021.
A photograph of the electronic vote table in the chamber posted by another MP, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, showed 22 votes against her appointment and 26 abstentions.
Parliament is also expected to vote through the appointment of outgoing prime minister Denys Shmyhal, who served for more than five years in the role, as defence minister.
Zelensky said he wanted his reshuffled cabinet to focus on deregulation, expanding economic co-operation with allies, and stronger punishments for those who threatened Ukraine's statehood and “stole Ukraine's potential”.
Svyrydenko has experience working with top officials in Washington, having negotiated and signed a deal with Treasury secretary Scott Bessent in April that gave the US preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and will help fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction.
In a speech to parliament on Thursday shortly before the vote to confirm Svyrydenko, Zelensky spoke of unspecified future agreements with the US which he said would strengthen Ukraine.
The incoming prime minister was congratulated on her appointment by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. “We stand fully behind you as you fight for Ukraine’s survival and work for your country’s recovery and EU future,” she said.
However, some Ukrainian opposition MPs voiced scepticism of the new government.
Yaroslav Zheleznyak of the Holos party said the new government would be largely in hock to Zelensky, who has significant wartime powers under Ukraine's constitution.
“They will be told by the president's office what they should really do,” he wrote.
Reuters
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