Kyiv, July 16 (IANS) Ukrainian Parliament appointed Serhii Koretskyi as Prime Minister on Thursday as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s latest government reshuffle.
Koretskyi said on Thursday that the administration’s foremost task is to fully equip Ukraine’s defence forces and accelerate the expansion of its defence industry.
“Today, I am assuming the responsibilities of Prime Minister of Ukraine with a clear set of priorities. Our foremost task is to fully equip Ukraine’s Defense Forces and accelerate the expansion of our defense industrial base. We will do everything possible to ensure that Ukrainian service members have the capabilities they need for every long-range operation, every precision strike, and every mission to defend the front line, including drones of all types, ground robotic systems, advanced equipment, and modern weapons,” Koretskyi posted on X.
“At the same time, we are preparing the country for winter while continuing to support Ukrainian citizens and businesses. Our responsibility is to fulfill the state’s social obligations in full by ensuring the timely payment of pensions, social assistance, and funding for essential public services. We will continue to give special attention to frontline communities that endure Russian attacks every day,” he added.
Koretskyi said that another key priority for him is to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine’s international partners, securing additional resources, and ensuring the most effective use of international assistance.
“Our strategic course remains unchanged – Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union. Now it’s time to get to work,” he posted on X.
On Wednesday, Zelensky nominated Koretskyi, who has led state company Naftogaz since May 2025, as Ukraine’s PM. Serhii Koretskyi assumes office at a time when Ukraine is facing continuous Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, Euro News reported.
David Arakhamia, head of Zelensky’s Servant of the People faction in parliament, said that Koretskyi’s experience at Naftogaz “will be invaluable, especially now as Ukraine prepares for what could be the most difficult winter in its history.”
Prior to joining state energy sector, Koretskyi worked in Ukraine’s private energy industry. Later, he headed state-owned energy firms Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta from 2022 to 2025. He took over as Naftogaz chief executive in 2025, following his appointment by the company’s supervisory board, with his tenure focused on keeping Ukraine’s energy infrastructure operational amid continuous Russian attacks on production facilities, Euro News reported.
On July 12, Zelensky announced a cabinet reshuffle, saying that the new strategy would assign each foreign policy priority to an official who has relevant experience, Xinhua News Agency reported.
In a post on X, Zelensky wrote, “We discussed the details with Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko. We determined that these changes require a renewal of the Cabinet of Ministers.”
Zelensky expressed gratitude to Yulia Svyrydenko for her service as Ukraine’s PM and said he had offered her the opportunity to lead “a new and important area of relations with a key partner.”
Later, Svyrydenko announced her resignation on Telegram. She wrote, “I am proud to have had the honor of leading the government during the most difficult period of Ukraine’s modern history,” she wrote on Telegram.
–IANS
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