Government appoints Khmara as acting Defense Minister, Sybiha as acting Foreign Minister - Koretskyi

The Cabinet of Ministers has appointed acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Yevhen Khmara as acting Defense Minister, and Andrii Sybiha as acting Foreign Minister.

Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi announced this on his Telegram channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"In agreement with the President, the government has appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting Defense Minister and Andrii Sybiha as acting Foreign Minister," he said.

Koretskyi stressed that it is important to maintain continuity of work in the areas of defense and foreign policy.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on July 16, the Verkhovna Rada appointed a new Cabinet of Ministers of the new Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, except for the Defense Minister and Foreign Minister, who are submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for approval by the President.

On July 16, Zelenskyy announced that he had instructed the head of the SSU, Yevhen Khmara, to act as Minister of Defense and would propose that the Verkhovna Rada approve him as Minister of Defense.

Sybiha served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from September 2024 until July 14 of this year, when the Verkhovna Rada accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, resulting in the resignation of the entire Cabinet of Ministers.