Sergey Koretsky Emerges as Top Candidate for Ukraine Prime Minister
Reports indicate that Naftogaz chief Sergey Koretsky is the leading candidate for Ukraine's prime minister, after President Zelensky offered him the position following Yulia Sviridenko's resignation.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Sergey Koretsky, head of the national joint-stock company Naftogaz of Ukraine, is the primary candidate for the post of prime minister. The news emerged on Sunday, July 12, after reports of Yulia Sviridenko's resignation, when President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Koretsky. An anonymous source told Interfax-Ukraine that the president was impressed by how Koretsky effectively navigated last winter's crisis, developed a sound strategy, built constructive relations with Western partners, and secured sufficient funds and gas for the winter.
Meanwhile, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of parliament from the Holos party, published a forecast of the likely cabinet lineup, also suggesting Koretsky as prime minister. Zheleznyak predicted that First Vice Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Vice Prime Minister for Culture Tetyana Berezhna, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, Youth and Sports Minister Matviy Bidny, and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha would likely retain their posts. The Ministry of Social Policy may be headed by Denys Ulyutin, and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs by Natalia Kalmykova, though the latter remains uncertain.
Zheleznyak also claimed that consideration is being given to dismissing Education and Science Minister Oksen Lisovyi, replacing the vice prime minister for European integration, and dismissing Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka, who may be succeeded by Ukraine's EU representative Vsevolod Chentsov. Furthermore, the government plans to split the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture into a Ministry of Economy and Ecology (headed by Oleksiy Sobolev) and a Ministry of Agrarian Policy (headed by Taras Vysotsky). The Ministry of Communities and Territories Development may be divided into a Ministry of Regional Development and a Ministry of Infrastructure, while current Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba may leave the government.
Zheleznyak emphasized that the information is preliminary and reflects the current situation. As previously reported, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, who took office on July 17, 2025, announced her resignation on Sunday, stating she is ready to continue serving Ukraine. In addition to Koretsky, the president also met on Sunday with First Vice Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
