Ukraine’s foreign minister hands in resignation letter to parliament
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Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), posted a photo of the resignation letter on Facebook and stated that it will be discussed during a future plenary session.
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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba during a press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, 2022. (AFP)
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has submitted his resignation letter to the parliament, the Ukrainian parliament speaker revealed.
Ukrainskaya Pravda reported Tuesday evening, citing a source from the President's office, that Kuleba is expected to be sacked by President Volodymyr Zelensky, joining four other cabinet members to be dismissed from their duties.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), posted a photo of the resignation letter on Facebook and stated that it will be discussed during a future plenary session.
Neither Stefanchuk nor Kuleba have stated any reasons for the resignation.
Stefanchuk revealed a day earlier that he had received resignation letters from other Ukrainian ministers for unspecified reasons, as Kiev embarked on the largest government upheaval since the war began.
Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olga Stefanishina, Minister for Strategic Industries Aleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Justice Denys Maliuski, and Minister of Environmental Protection Ruslan Strilets were dismissed from their positions on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also removed his deputy chief of staff, Rostyslav Shurma, who had been on the job since 2021, according to a proclamation posted on the official website.
Kuleba has been Ukraine's Foreign Minister since 2020.
During a morning broadcast on the local 1+1 TV channel in August 2023, Kuleba stated that he would resign from his position under two conditions: if President Volodymyr Zelensky urged him to do so or if he fell into "fundamental contradiction with foreign policy."
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova reacted to the resignation of Kuleba by expressing to TASS that "Autumn leaves are falling, branches are being exposed."
The cabinet purge
The cabinet purge follows the official expiration of both Zelensky's presidential and Kiev's parliamentary mandate.
The Ukrainian constitution only enables the extension of parliamentary terms, which Zelensky has countered, arguing the nation is in a state of martial law due to the ongoing war with Russia since February 2022, which allows him to indefinitely postpone elections.
“If decisions are taken, Ukraine is successful on the ground. If they are not taken, then do not complain about Ukraine, complain about yourself,” Kuleba told EU foreign ministers last week, urging the bloc to take “bold decisions". Kiev has attributed its deteriorating frontline fortunes to the restrictions on its weapons provided by the US and its allies.
Zelensky has been firing ministers and top officials left and right in what could be a reflection of a lack of trust in his leadership or his entourage. He initiated in May a significant overhaul within the country's special forces, announcing the replacement of Colonel Serhiy Lupanchuk with Brigadier General Oleksandr Trepak as the unit's new commander.
This change in leadership came amid broader restructuring within the Ukrainian military's chain of command. Since February, Zelensky has implemented several changes at various levels, including the replacement of General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi with then-Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi as the top commander.
Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed that another reason why Zelensky would want Zaluzhny out was due to his alleged involvement in secret talks with Western officials about pursuing a ceasefire with Russia.
Austrian military analyst Tom Cooper explained that Zaluzhny was also criticized for not transforming the Ukrainian military into a Western-style unit, not advancing logistics, and not allowing troops on the frontline to rest.
