Zelenskyy offers Fedorov several government roles outside defence ministry, but he declines
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov several options to remain in government, including the position of deputy prime minister for technological development. However, Fedorov has opposed the idea because he does not understand why he was dismissed from the Ministry of Defence.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources in political circles
Details: During a conversation with Zelenskyy, Fedorov was offered the opportunity to remain in government in a position related to technological development. However, the former minister explained that it would be impossible to implement his strategy for stopping Russia without the real authority that, in his view, exists only within the Ministry of Defence.
Another source in military circles said Fedorov argued that, following the appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the previous Defence Ministry team could immediately begin working with him on transforming Ukraine's defence forces. By contrast, appointing a new defence minister would require months to build a team and fully familiarise themselves with all ongoing processes.
Moreover, following Oleksandr Syrskyi's dismissal, the formal reason the president had previously cited for not nominating Fedorov as Minister of Defence no longer exists.
Background:
- Protests were held in Kyiv and other cities on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 July, with demonstrators demanding that Fedorov be reinstated as defence minister and that Oleksandr Syrskyi be dismissed as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Zelenskyy acknowledged that Fedorov and Syrskyi had been unable to find common ground and that problems on the battlefield, within brigades and with mobilisation remained unresolved.
- On 18 July, the president said he had spoken with Fedorov and Syrskyi. He promised that "decisions regarding the army will be worked out".
- On 20 July, Syrskyi apologised to Fedorov and said he had not realised there was a conflict between them.
- Following six days of protests, Zelenskyy announced his decision to dismiss Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and appoint Mykhailo Drapatyi to replace him.
- The president also said that he had offered Fedorov a "worthy leadership position". According to Ukrainska Pravda, one of the positions Zelenskyy proposed was deputy prime minister for technology.
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