When meeting with leaders of parliamentary groups and factions on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced his plans to nominate a new defense minister and chief of the General Staff, who are to be approved by parliament.

"The president has announced that he will propose Colonel-General Valeriy Heletei as a nominee to the position of the defense minister and Lieutenant General Viktor Muzhenko as a nominee to the position of the chief of the General Staff for the Verkhovna Rada's approval," the presidential press service reported.