Former top diplomat Dmitry Kuleba will be succeeded by his deputy, Andrey Sibiga, who previously served as ambassador to Türkiye
FILE PHOTO: Andrey Sibiga. © Office of the President of Ukraine
Ukraine’s Rada has agreed to replace former Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba with his deputy, Andrey Sibiga, amid a major cabinet reshuffle. Kuleba handed in his resignation earlier this week as more than half of the senior members of government are expected to be replaced in the overhaul.
Sibiga, who was personally suggested for the role of foreign minister by Vladimir Zelensky, had served as Kuleba’s deputy since 2024 and had previously held the position of deputy head of the Ukrainian President’s Office from 2021 to 2024. Prior to that, he was the ambassador to Türkiye from 2016 to 2021.
Sibiga’s nomination was officially registered on Thursday and was received and approved by the Rada on the same day.
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Kuleba’s resignation comes after Vladimir Zelensky had accused him of failing to secure more arms supplies from Western sponsors, reportedly telling MPs on Wednesday that the diplomat “lacks the energy to push forward the supplies of weapons,” according to Suspilne news outlet.
The former foreign minister had previously accused unnamed Western donors of failing to deliver Patriot air defense systems pledged to Kiev and has unsuccessfully tried to lobby the US and its allies to allow the use of Western-supplied long-range weapons for strikes deep inside Russia.
The Economist reports, citing sources close to Zelensky, that the Ukrainian leader had intended to remove Kuleba even earlier but was reportedly discouraged by the US State Department.