Ukraine's parliament approves Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister with 312 votes
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Ukraine's parliament approved Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister on Wednesday, 19 August, with 312 lawmakers voting in favour. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy nominated Khmara, who had served as acting minister since mid-July after the ouster of Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov's removal in July triggered protests in Kyiv that continued as lawmakers confirmed his successor.
Key Facts
- Ukraine's parliament confirmed Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister on 19 August; 312 of 334 attending lawmakers voted in favour, with two against.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy nominated Khmara after appointing him acting defence minister in mid-July.
- The same session reconfirmed Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister with 266 votes in favour out of 325 attending.
- Khmara replaces Mykhailo Fedorov, whose dismissal after a conflict with then armed forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi triggered ongoing protests in Kyiv.
The Confirmation Vote
Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada approved Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister on Wednesday, 19 August. Of the 334 deputies present, 312 voted in favour and two voted against. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy nominated Khmara for the post; he had appointed Khmara acting defence minister in mid-July. Zelenskiy said after the vote that the tasks for both ministers were clearly defined and that Ukraine needed "great strength". Under Ukraine's constitution, defence and foreign minister candidates are nominated by the president and voted on separately.
Fedorov's Removal and Protests
Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov was ousted in July, along with the rest of the government. His removal followed a conflict with Oleksandr Syrskyi, then commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces. Fedorov's dismissal sparked mass protests in Kyiv that continued as lawmakers confirmed Khmara. Demonstrators demanded Fedorov's return to the defence ministry post.
Foreign Minister Reconfirmation
Parliament also voted separately on Andrii Sybiha's continuation as foreign minister. Of 325 deputies present, 266 supported Sybiha's reconfirmation. Zelenskiy thanked lawmakers for supporting both Sybiha and Khmara. Under Ukraine's constitution, the president selects defence and foreign minister candidates and submits them to parliament for separate votes.
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Ukraine's parliament approves Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister with 312 votes
