Major Government Shake-Up Continues in Ukraine as Foreign Minister Kuleba Steps Down

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has submitted his letter of resignation, as confirmed by Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament, on Sept. 4. Stefanchuk mentioned that Kuleba's resignation will be "considered at one of the upcoming plenary meetings," though he did not specify a date.

The resignation follows a wave of high-profile departures within the Ukrainian government. The previous day saw the resignation of several ministers, including Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Ecology Minister Ruslan Strilets, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, and Deputy Prime Minister and Reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. Additionally, Vitalii Koval, head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, stepped down after just nine months in office.

Rumors of Kuleba's dismissal had circulated as early as August 2023. At that time, Kuleba, who has served as foreign minister since 2020, addressed the speculation on national television, expressing that he was not concerned about the potential of losing his position. He stated, "I work, no job is permanent, and I'm totally calm about everything." He further clarified that he would only leave his post if requested by the president or if he found himself in fundamental disagreement with Ukraine's foreign policy.

The recent resignations come after months of speculation about potential changes within the Ukrainian government. Lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko remarked that the reshuffle had been anticipated for some time. On Sept. 3, sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda indicated that Kuleba's replacement was under consideration, with Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emerging as the...