Shmyhal on Umerov’s appointment as NSDC Secretary: Zelenskyy sees him as negotiator
The decision to appoint former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) was driven by the need to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position on the international stage.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this in an interview with BBC Ukraine, Censor.NET reports.
According to him, Umerov remains a key player in Ukraine’s negotiation track.
"As with the position of Prime Minister, the post of Defense Minister was also offered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He now has a vision for how the country should move forward and where it is necessary to reinforce relevant government structures. We had a meeting, spoke with the President, and he made this proposal in view of the need to strengthen the role of the former Defense Minister in the negotiation process," Shmyhal said.
Shmyhal noted that in certain negotiation processes, Umerov is currently more valuable as a negotiator.
"You can see his role as a negotiator now. He is the head of the negotiation group and Secretary of the NSDC, that was the vision. So, the President and I had a conversation, and he asked whether I would agree to lead the Ministry of Defense. I said yes, because as a Ukrainian, I see no greater or more serious challenge today than winning this war," he added.
As reported earlier, on July 18, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Rustem Umerov as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, dismissing Oleksandr Lytvynenko from the post.
