President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's first government was the Honcharuk Government, formed after the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election. However, Zelenskyy was dissatisfied with the government due to high ministerial salaries and poor performance.[3] On 3 March 2020, Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk tendered his resignation, and by law this triggered the automatic resignation of the Honcharuk Government.[4] In his 4 March 2020 address to the parliament, Zelenskyy expressed his hope for a stronger government,[5] and that day Honcharuk was dismissed by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) and Denys Shmyhal was appointed prime minister.[6][7]
The transition from the Honcharuk government was treated in some local press as worrisome, with the Kyiv Post calling it "hasty" and "awkward".[3][8]
Appointment of Shmyhal as Prime Minister
The appointment of Shmyhal as the Prime Minister of Ukraine was approved by the Verkhovna Rada in a special session on 4 March 2020. Shmyhal was an acting vice prime minister at the time of his appointment; he had previously served as Governor of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast.[1][3] 291 people's deputies voted for his candidacy, while the members of most of the other factions (Opposition Platform — For Life, European Solidarity, Batkivshchyna, and Holos) did not support it.[1]
At the time of appointment of the government five minister seats remained vacant at the following ministries: the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Education.[6] Four ministers kept the same post as they had in the previous Honcharuk government: the Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krykliy, and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.[6] Two ministers switched posts: Vadym Prystaiko left the Foreign Ministry and became the Deputy Prime Minister for Eurointegration while Dmytro Kuleba did the complete opposite, taking on the post of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.[6] On 18 May 2021 parliament dismissed Krykliy as Minister.[10]
All the ministerial posts — apart from those of the Ministers of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs that were put forward for voting by President Zelensky as these post are presidential nominations[11] — were voted in by a package vote, with the support of 277 people's deputies.[6]
Initially the government did not have a separate Environmental Minister (the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection was at first responsible for environmental policies), but on 19 June 2020 Roman Abramovsky was appointed Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.[13]
In the (previous government installed in August 2019) Honcharuk government the ministry responsible for agricultural policies was the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture.[17] But in January 2020 President Zelensky stated the need to split the agriculture part of this Ministry.[18] When the Shmyhal government was formed the Minister (in the Honcharuk government) of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture, Tymofiy Mylovanov refused to head a newly reestablish Ministry of Agriculture.[19] On 9 July 2020 Zelensky predicted that "at maximum in September" Ukraine would have a separate Minister of Agriculture again.[18] On 17 December 2020 Roman Leshchenko was appointed as Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food.[20]Mykola Solskyi replaced him on 24 March 2022.[21]
On 18 May 2021 the Ukrainian parliament dismissed Ihor Petrashko as Minister of Economic Development and Trade.[24] Two days later his successor became Oleksiy Liubchenko, who was also appointed First Deputy Prime Minister.[25] Liubchenko was dismissed by Parliament on 3 November 2021.[26]
On 2 December 2022 the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development and the Ministry of Infrastructure were merged, creating the Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure. Infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov took over as head of the combined ministry.[35]
Three Ministers were dismissed by parliament on 20 March 2023; Minister of Education and Science Serhiy Shkarlet, Minister of Strategic Industries Pavlo Riabikin and the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.[36] The same day parliament received Prime Minister Shmyhal's submissions on the appointment of three ministers; Mykhailo Fedorov as Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology, Minister of Digital Transformation, Oksen Lisovyi as Minister of Education and Science and Oleksandr Kamyshin as Minister of Strategic Industries.[37] On 21 March 2023 all three were appointed to these posts.[38]
On 27 July 2023 Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko was dismissed by parliament after criticism, also by President Zelensky, of government spending on Ukrainian culture during wartime.[39]
On 6 September 2023 Rustem Umierov replaced Oleksii Reznikov as defense minister of Ukraine.[40]
^ abAfter the appointment of Denys Shmyhal as a Prime Minister, it was proposed to divide the previously merged ministry in 2019 in two: Ministry of Youth and Sports and Ministry of Culture and Information Policу.
^ abcPreviously merged ministry since 2019 was divided in two: Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.
^Acting since 25 June 2020 until 17 December 2020.
^ abPreviously merged ministry since 2019 was divided in two: Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
^Acting since 4 November 2021 until 15 April 2022.
^On 2 December 2022 the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development and the Ministry of Infrastructure were merged, creating the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.
^Re-appointed as Deputy Prime Minister with additional powers on 21 March 2023
References
^ abc"Денис Шмигаль – новий прем'єр України". Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2020-03-08.
^"Денис Шмигаль – новий прем'єр України". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-09-08.
^ abcTalant, Bermet (6 March 2020). "Hasty government reshuffle sows disquiet at home, abroad". Kyiv Post.
^Ukrainian parliament approves new government composition, Ukrinform (4 March 2020)
^Zelenskyy, Volodymyr (4 March 2020). "Speech by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada". PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE Official website.
^ abcdeA New Government for Ukraine: One Female Minister and "Indispensable" Arsen Avakov, Hromadske.TV (4 March 2020)
^Ukrainian parliament accepts Infrastructure Ministry's resignation, UNIAN (18 May 2021)
^Member of Parliament shares list of possible members of government, UNIAN (3 March 2020)
^Ukraine's Rada sacks health, finance ministers amid virus crisis, UNIAN (30 March 2020)
^Ukraine's parliament backs appointment of new environment minister, UNIAN (19 June 2020)
^(in Ukrainian) "Servants of the People" have decided on the Deputy Prime Minister of Industrial Policy, waiting for support in the Rada, Ukrayinska Pravda (10 July 2020)
^Urusky appointed Ukraine's deputy PM, minister for strategic industrial sectors, UNIAN (16 July 2020)
^(in Ukrainian) A new ministry has appeared in Ukraine, Ukrayinska Pravda (22 July 2020)
^New Cabinet formed in Ukraine The Rada appointed the new Cabinet: Avakov and Markarova remained, Ukrayinska Pravda (29 August 2019)
^ abPresident: At most in September we will have a separate Minister of Agrarian Policy, Ukrayinska Pravda (9 July 2020)
^Milovanov explained why he refused to work in the new government, Ukrayinska Pravda (5 March 2020)
^Parliament appoints Leshchenko as agricultural policy minister, Ukrinform (17 December 2020 – 24 March 2022)
^Lawmaker Solskyi accepts offer to become Ukraine's agriculture minister, Reuters (24 March 2022) "The new Minister of Agrarian Policy spoke about the priorities of the work". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
^(in Ukrainian) The council fired the veterans' minister, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 December 2020)
^Laputina appointed as Ukraine's minister for veterans afffairs, Ukrinform (18 December 2020)
^Lawmakers back Economy Ministry's resignation, UNIAN (18 May 2021)
^Rada appoints Liubchenko as First Dpty PM, Minister of Economy – 293 affirmative votes, Interfax-Ukraine (21 May 2021)
^Rada dismisses Liubchenko from post of First Dpty PM, Economy Minister, Interfax-Ukraine (3 November 2021)
^Rada supports Avakov's resignation, Interfax-Ukraine (15 July 2021)
^Ukraine's interior minister resigns, Reuters (13 July 2021)
^Parliament appoints Monastyrsky as Ukraine's interior minister, Ukrinform (16 July 2021)
^"Government appoints acting Minister of Internal Affairs". www.kmu.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-02-06. "Уряд призначив Клименка виконувачем обов'язків міністра внутрішніх справ" [The government appointed Klymenko as acting minister of internal affairs]. www.ukrinform.ua (in Ukrainian). 18 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
^(in Ukrainian) National deputies voted for the new head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ukrainska Pravda (7 February 2023)
^MPs dismiss Abramovsky as Ukraine's environment minister, Ukrinform (3 November 2021)
^Parliament dismisses Deputy Prime Minister Urusky, Ukrinform (3 November 2021)
^Verkhovna Rada dismisses Defense Minister Andriy Taran, Ukrinform (3 November 2021)
^OLEKSIY PAVLYSH (2 December 2022). "The government merged the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of Regions: the new ministry will be headed by Kubrakov". Ekonomichna Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2 December 2022. "Rada appoints Kubrakov Dpty PM for restoration of Ukraine". Interfax-Ukraine. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022. OLEKSIY PAVLYSH (1 December 2022). "Kubrakov was appointed vice prime minister - minister of infrastructure and regional development". Ekonomichna Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2 December 2022.
^"Verkhovna Rada dismisses three ministers". Ukrayinska Pravda. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
^"Rada received submissions for the appointment of three ministers". Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
^"The Verkhovna Rada appointed two ministers and a deputy prime minister". Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
^"Parliament dismisses Culture Minister Tkachenko". Ukrainska Pravda. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.