President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal with a proposal to replace Oleksandr Tkachenko as Minister of Culture and Information Policy.

"Budget expenditures. In times of war like this, the maximum state attention, and therefore state resources, should be spent on defense. This is an obvious thing. And every project that can be implemented at the expense of extra-budgetary resources should be implemented at the expense of extra-budgetary resources," he said in a video address on Thursday.

According to him, this concerns different spheres and, in particular, the sector of culture.

"Museums, cultural centers, symbols, TV series - all of this is important, but now there are other priorities. Find extra-budgetary funds. Not state funds," Zelenskyy said.

"I suggested two steps to the Prime Minister. The first is to find extra-budgetary funds for projects that are really needed now. There are people in the world who can help. Second, I asked the Prime Minister to consider replacing the Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine," he also said.

According to Zelenskyy, "people should feel that budget resources are used fairly and properly. Everyone understands what we are talking about. Paving stones, city decorations, and fountains can wait till after the victory."