President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has nominated former prime minister Denys Shmyhal as Ukraine’s new defence minister, pledging to increase domestic arms production to cover half of frontline needs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Wednesday that he has formally submitted the nomination of former prime minister Denys Shmyhal to serve as the country’s next defence minister. The move comes amid a broader government reshuffle and Zelenskyy’s push to expand Ukraine’s military production capabilities.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s parliament accepted the resignation of Shmyhal and his entire cabinet. Zelenskyy has proposed current Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to take over as head of the government.
In his statement, Zelenskyy said the Ministry of Defence would now oversee strategic industries, marking a shift in how Ukraine coordinates its military and industrial sectors. Herman Smetanin has been selected to lead the state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom.
Currently, about 40 percent of Ukraine’s military equipment is produced domestically. Zelenskyy outlined a target of raising that figure to 50 percent within six months under the new government.
He stressed that boosting local arms output is critical not only to sustain the country’s war effort, but also to expand military operations deeper into Russian territory. Such an approach, he argued, would increase the cost of war for Russia and pressure President Vladimir Putin to engage more seriously in ceasefire discussions.
Zelenskyy expressed confidence in the restructuring, saying it would strengthen Ukraine’s long-term security posture and improve its capacity to resist Russian aggression through self-reliance and innovation in defence production.
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“Real security guarantees are needed before the war ends,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (14 February), warning that Russian aggression shows no sign of relenting.
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Ukraine’s allies have pledged nearly $48 billion in military support at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels, vowing to intensify pressure on Russia and strengthen Kyiv’s battlefield position.
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American figure skating star Ilia Malinin endured a dramatic collapse in the men’s free skate on Friday night, falling twice and tumbling out of medal contention at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov surged to a surprise gold medal.
“Respected and feared globally,” U.S. President Donald Trump told troops at Fort Bragg on Friday (13 February), framing America’s renewed strength against to mounting pressure on Iran amid stalled nuclear talks.
Dubai-based global ports operator DP World said on Friday that its long-serving chairman and chief executive, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, has stepped down following mounting pressure linked to alleged ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking at Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha calls for decisive steps ahead of expected Geneva talks
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (15 February) called it “troubling” a report by five European allies blaming Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny using a toxin from poison dart frogs.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama has criticised a video shared by President Donald Trump depicting him and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, describing it as “deeply troubling”.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will begin a two-day visit to Slovakia and Hungary on Sunday (15 February), aimed at strengthening ties with the two Central European nations, whose leaders have maintained close relations with President Donald Trump.
The Munich Security Conference concludes on Sunday (15 February) with discussions centred on Europe’s role in an increasingly unstable global landscape, including security coordination, economic competitiveness and the protection of democratic values.
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