Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy triggered blowback in Kyiv as the parliament began the biggest reshuffle of government roles “since Russia launched its full-scale invasion”, POLITICO writes. in Ukraine’s east and Kyiv lobbies Western allies to use their missiles on Russian territory, top opposition figures accused Zelenskyy of increasingly staffing government posts with a coterie of close allies and loyalists in a bid to consolidate power around his office.
“All the actions of the current authorities speak of the systematic centralization of power by the President and his office. This flurry of resignations from government officials now speaks to a severe governance crisis in the country,” Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a lawmaker from the European Solidarity opposition party, told POLITICO.
Among those heading for the exit is popular Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who tendered his resignation, for as yet unexplained reasons. One former top Ukrainian official, who wished to remain anonymous, said Kuleba was likely ousted because of a clash with Zelenskyy’s powerful head of office, Andriy Yermak.
“Due to his post, Kuleba had well-established direct contacts with [U.S. Secretary of State Antony] Blinken, with [German Foreign Minister Annalena] Baerbock, and many others. Even if he was 300 percent loyal, the president’s office could not leave such a communication channel in the hands of a person they are not fully sure is their person,” the official added. Kyiv’s communication with Washington is primarily led by his own office — specifically by Yermak.
Officials and advisers to Zelenskyy told POLITICO that Kuleba, though he was known to many throughout the world and often appeared on television, has done little in the past year to advance Kyiv’s relationship with Washington or its ambitions on the battlefield.
