Zelenskyy appoints Klymenko as secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Ihor Klymenko, who served as Ukraine's acting interior minister for several years, as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC).

Source: Presidential Decree No. 694/2026

Quote: "Ihor Klymenko shall be appointed as Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine."

Background:

• In July, Zelenskyy said he had offered Klymenko the position of NSDC secretary. Klymenko had previously been considered for the post of defence minister.
• On 16 July, Zelenskyy said he had not yet submitted Klymenko's nomination to parliament to become defence minister, but believed the former interior minister was capable of addressing what he described as the "shameful forced mobilisation practices".
• Later that evening, however, Zelenskyy announced that he would nominate Yevhen Khmara as defence minister. Until his appointment is confirmed, Khmara, who is serving as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, has been tasked by the president with performing the duties of defence minister.
• Ivan Vyhivskyi was appointed interior minister.
• Meanwhile, protests in support of acting Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov have been taking place near the President's Office in Kyiv and in several other cities across Ukraine: demonstrators are calling on the authorities to reinstate him in the new government.

Your support on Patreon helps us keep the news free and accessible.