Ukraine's Parliament Confirms Khmara as New Defence Minister

Ukraine's parliament has formally approved Maj. Gen. Yevhenii Khmara as the country's new defence minister, endorsing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's nominee in a vote held on Wednesday.

Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced the result, stating "312 for, the decision has been adopted," before inviting Khmara to take the oath of office at the parliamentary rostrum. Lawmakers also consented to Andrii Sybiha continuing as foreign minister after he had been serving in an interim capacity.

The confirmation comes amid a significant reshuffle of Ukraine's wartime leadership. President Zelenskyy recently dismissed Mykhailo Fedorov, a long-serving defence minister and close ally from his 2019 presidential campaign, as well as commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Observers note the changes appear aimed at bridging a divide between the Defence Ministry's younger, tech-focused innovators and the country's more seasoned, Soviet-trained battlefield commanders. The decision to remove Fedorov, however, triggered street protests, marking the second time in a year that a Zelenskyy move has drawn public backlash, following his 2025 attempt to limit the powers of anti-corruption agencies.

In a video address posted late Tuesday, Fedorov called for elections, a stance that directly challenges the president, who maintains that the constitution prohibits holding a vote while martial law remains in effect.