Ukrainian Parliament Chooses Yulia Svyrydenko To Become A 39-year-old New Prime Minister

Ukrainian Prime Minister elected Yulia Svyrydenko/PHOTO via X @ZelenskyyUa

JAKARTA - The Ukrainian Parliament on Thursday elected Yulia Svyrydenko as the country's new prime minister.

According to several lawmakers, 262 members voted for Svyrydenko, a sizable majority in parliament consisting of 450 people. The Ukrainian parliament did not broadcast its wartime sessions.

His appointment was supported by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as part of a reshuffle of his biggest government since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.

Svyrydenko (39) has served as minister of economy and one of the deputy prime ministers of Ukraine since November 2021.

Photos of electronic voting tables in the courtroom posted by another member of parliament, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, showed 22 votes against his appointment and 26 abstentions.

Reported by Reuters on Thursday, July 17, parliament is also expected to vote through the appointment of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal who will end his term of office, who has served for more than five years, as defense minister.

Zelenskyy said he wanted his reshuffled cabinet to focus on deregulation, expansion of economic cooperation with allies, and tougher penalties for those threatening Ukraine's state status and "stealing Ukraine's potential."

Experienced Svyrydenko worked with top officials in Washington, after negotiating and signing a deal with Finance Minister Scott Bessent in April granting the US special access to Ukraine's new mineral deal and will help fund investments in Ukraine's reconstruction.

In a speech in parliament on Thursday, shortly before the vote to confirm Svyrydenko, Zelenskyy spoke of unspecified upcoming agreements with the United States, which he said would strengthen Ukraine.

The Ukrainian PM received congratulations on his appointment from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"We fully support you as you struggle for Ukraine's survival and work for the recovery of your country and the future of the European Union," he said.

However, some opposition Ukrainian lawmakers voiced skepticism about the new government.

Yaroslav Zheleznyak of the holos party said that the new government would largely depend on Zelenskyy, who has significant wartime powers based on the Ukrainian constitution.