Fedorov turns down NSDC post offered by Zelenskyy – FT
Former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has turned down a new position offered to him by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the weekend. He only wants to return to the Defence Ministry.
Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller reported this, citing sources, Censor.NET informs.
Fedorov rejects offer of new position
According to the journalist, Zelenskyy offered Fedorov a position with the National Security and Defence Council. The role would have given him "direct access to the president and a mandate to oversee defence innovation and military reform".
"Under the proposed arrangement, Fedorov would have supervised defence technology programmes and efforts to increase the production of long-range weapons, according to the sources. This would have enabled him to continue advancing reforms outside the Ministry of Defence and the military command. He would also have worked to attract foreign investment into Ukraine’s defence industry," the journalist wrote.
However, Fedorov turned down the offer.
- It should be recalled that earlier, the publication ZN.UA, citing sources in Washington, reported that officials at Bankova Street were considering the possibility of offering former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov a new role as ‘miltech czar’ – a coordinator for the development of military technologies.
New Cabinet of Ministers and Fedorov’s resignation
- On July 14, the Verkhovna Rada supported a resolution on the resignation of Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. The entire Cabinet of Ministers automatically resigned with her.
- On July 15, Mykhailo Fedorov said that he was stepping down as head of the Defence Ministry.
- Before that, several media outlets and MPs reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to replace him with Ihor Klymenko, the incumbent interior minister.
- Rallies in support of Mykhailo Fedorov were held in Dnipro, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, Cherkasy and other cities. Participants are protesting against his resignation.
- On July 16, the Verkhovna Rada voted to appoint the new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Serhii Koretskyi was appointed Prime Minister.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would nominate Yevhenii Khmara for the post of Ukraine’s defence minister. Before doing so, he tasked Khmara with serving as acting head of the Defence Ministry.
- Protests against Fedorov’s resignation have continued in Ukrainian cities. In addition to demanding Fedorov’s return as defence minister, people have called for Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi to be dismissed.
- The Financial Times reported that amid protests in Ukraine whose participants are demanding the resignation of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering replacing him.
