"The president has not yet taken Syrskyi's side": Fedorov hopes decision on his dismissal will be reconsidered

Ukraine's acting Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has said that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could still reconsider his decision on the leadership of the Defence Ministry and expressed confidence that the situation "will be put right".

Source: Fedorov at a press briefing on 16 July

Details: Fedorov said he has known Zelenskyy for seven years and believes that the president "has not yet taken" the side of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. He added that he has discussed the situation with the head of state and does not regard their public disagreement as a conflict.

The minister said that throughout the years they have worked together, he and the president have "never let each other down", but that each of them is now guided by their own view of the situation.

Fedorov suggested that Zelenskyy's decision had been influenced by the large number of people who had approached him with complaints following their dealings with the Defence Ministry.

Quote: "When 90% of the people who come to him have encountered problems with our work at the Defence Ministry, it is probably difficult for him, both as a person and as a manager, to analyse all of this and make the right decisions."

Details: Meanwhile, Fedorov believes that Zelenskyy could ultimately reconsider his decision.

Quote: "We always make the right decision after making all the wrong ones. So I am confident that the president listens to the Ukrainian people, knows what needs to be done, and that this situation will definitely be put right."

Previously:

• Earlier, Fedorov summed up his tenure, outlined what he had not managed to accomplish and said he will continue his mission to "defeat the enemy through asymmetry, the speed of innovation and the power of organisation".
• Protests in support of Fedorov are taking place on 16 July near the President's Office in Kyiv and in several other cities across Ukraine.

Background:

• On 14 July, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) approved Yuliia Svyrydenko's resignation as prime minister, a decision which entails the resignation of the entire government.
• According to Ukrainska Pravda sources, the authorities planned to form the new government on 15 July. The parliament is expected to vote on the new Cabinet on 16 July.
• Ukrainska Pravda sources in the Servant of the People faction said Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not be putting Fedorov forward for the post of defence minister as part of the government reshuffle. Ihor Klymenko, currently acting Minister of Internal Affairs, could become the new defence minister.
• Sources in the faction also say Fedorov remains on the president's team, "but what he will do next will become clearer next week".

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