Zelenskyy discusses PM candidates with three more officials

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held separate meetings on Wednesday, July 12, with three officials considered potential candidates for the prime minister post.

After already meeting with current Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, who announced she would step down, and Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi, the president met with Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

During the meeting with Shmyhal, the president stressed the need for new and more decisive steps to protect Ukraine's energy sector and strategic infrastructure. He noted that intergovernmental agreements in energy and recovery must be implemented on time, but that current agreements are insufficient, so additional focus is needed in the coming weeks and months.

With Klymenko, the discussion covered pressing challenges requiring a state response, as well as additional decisions and resources to fulfill defined tasks.

In the meeting with Fedorov, Zelenskyy emphasized the need to continue transforming defence forces to sustain warrior motivation and ensure proper staffing of combat brigades.

During the conversation with Terekhov, the focus was on interaction between central, regional, and local authorities, key community needs, and prospects for implementing prepared decisions. Zelenskyy stressed that resilience plans must be implemented as quickly as possible, and that Kharkiv's experience in supporting people can be applied in other cities and communities.

Sources at Ukrainska Pravda indicate that potential candidates for prime minister include Koretskyi, Shmyhal, Fedorov, and Terekhov. Svyrydenko, who had been prime minister, announced after her meeting with Zelenskyy that she would leave the post and lead a new significant direction in relations with a key partner.