Ukrainian Prime Minister Julia Svyridenko confirmed on Sunday, 12 July, that she is stepping down from the head of government, following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement of a cabinet reshuffle. The decision on her departure still requires confirmation by parliament.
Svydenko is not leaving public service: according to Zelenskyy's post on social media, she will take on coordination with Ukraine's key international partners. She stated that she had spoken with the president about the changes needed to strengthen the work of the government, and that she remains in service to the state.
Zelenskyy explained the changes with a new foreign policy in which each priority direction is overseen by a single person with extensive experience. Among the priorities, he cited an agreement with the United States on licensed production of missiles for the Patriot system, the European anti-missile project, accession to the European Union, and the restoration of relations with Hungary and Poland.
In the ruling Servant of the People party, the resignation came as a surprise to some MPs. "The situation is strange," one MP told the publication on condition of anonymity, adding that he did not see an obvious reason for the prime minister's dismissal. The party is set to discuss personnel changes on Tuesday, 14 July.
Possible successors include the head of the state-owned energy company Naftogaz, Serhii Khamelia, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, and former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, as well as the mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov. Zelenskyy, according to his own statement, met individually with all four on Sunday, with Khamelia currently considered the leading candidate.
Svydenko took over the government in July 2025, succeeding Shmyhal, and previously headed the Ministry of Economy. The last major reshuffle by Zelenskyy took place in January 2026, following a corruption scandal that engulfed his inner circle, including the head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak.
