A decision on the appointment of Yevheniy Khmara as Acting Minister of Defense is expected on Friday afternoon, advisor to the President of Ukraine on communications Dmytro Lytvyn said.
"Regarding Khmara: decisions on this will be made in the second half of the day… Because the main thing that currently determines the course of events is long-range capabilities and mid-strikes, and Khmara is very cool at this," Lytvyn told reporters on Friday.
Commenting on the situation regarding the position of Ihor Klymenko, the presidential advisor expressed hope that more information would be provided today. "I hope that we will be able to provide more clarity today," he said.
Separately, Lytvyn announced upcoming personnel changes among the deputy ministers of foreign affairs. "Andriy Sybiha has already been with the President today, there will be more changes among the deputy ministers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they discussed further work," Lytvyn reported.
As previously reported, on July 16, the Verkhovna Rada voted for a new government composition, and the ministers of defense and foreign affairs, Mykhailo Fedorov and Andriy Sybiha, were not reappointed. The President did not submit his candidates for these positions.
The President appointed Acting Head of the SBU Yevheniy Khmara to perform the duties of the Minister of Defense. "After the necessary legal procedures are observed, I will appeal to parliamentarians for support of Yevheniy Khmara for the post of Minister of Defense of Ukraine," Zelenskyy wrote.
In turn, Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zelenzniak drew attention to the "legal procedures." "It is about the fact that the Minister of Defense must be a civilian. During martial law, this is somewhat complicated, but they will resolve it by August 18 (the day of the next plenary session of parliament – Interfax-Ukraine). Then the President will submit his candidacy," Zelenzniak wrote.
