Zelensky says he proposed Yulia Svyrydenko to ‘lead’ Ukraine’s government

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said he had proposed First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to "lead" the country's government.

After meeting Svyrydenko in Kyiv, Zelensky said in a statement on X that he and the first deputy prime minister discussed "concrete measures" to boost the country's economic potential and scale up domestic weapons production, among other matters.

"In pursuit of this goal, we are initiating a transformation of the executive branch in Ukraine. I have proposed that Yuliia Svyrydenko lead the Government of Ukraine and significantly renew its work," Zelensky added.

The president said he is looking forward to the presentation of the new government's action plan "in the near future."

On Sunday, Zelensky announced preparations for a "substantial governance transformation" following a meeting with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who assumed his post in March 2020.

"This will allow us to reduce the cost of maintaining the government bureaucracy, ensure significant deregulation, and direct the maximum available resources toward the defense of Ukraine and its people," Zelensky said in a separate statement on X.

Svyrydenko assumed her position as the first deputy prime minister in November 2021. She simultaneously served as the economy minister.

Meanwhile, no official statement or remarks were made on Shmyhal's resignation, who is currently Ukraine's longest-serving prime minister.

Last week, Bloomberg reported that Zelensky and Trump discussed replacing Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the US, during their latest phone call earlier this month.

Citing a person familiar with the matter, the report said Shmyhal is among those listed as potential candidates to replace Markarova.