On August 19, the Parliament appointed Yevhenii Khmara as Minister of Defence of Ukraine. The decision was supported by 312 members of parliament.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Ірина Гамерська), according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Prior to this appointment, Yevhenii Khmara served as acting head of the agency under a presidential decree, following cabinet shuffles in mid-July. The candidate previously held a series of meetings with lawmakers to discuss strategic issues, cooperation with the General Staff, and plans for the development of the defence sector.
Compliance with legislation
In accordance with legislative requirements, the position of the Minister of Defence must be held by a civilian. In the assembly hall, Yevhenii Khmara confirmed that he had been discharged from military service under Article 26 of the Law “On Military Duty and Military Service,” appearing before the deputies as a civilian.
The new minister identified the strengthening of defence capabilities, the implementation of transparent arms procurement without excessive bureaucracy, and the improvement of technological solutions to preserve the lives of personnel as his top priorities. The importance of developing the defence industry as a cornerstone of national security was also highlighted.
Strategic goals and cooperation with military leadership
Particular attention during the discussions was paid to mobilization policy. The minister stated that relevant decisions would be prepared in coordination with Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi and the General Staff, taking into account the situation at the front and the needs of the service members.
The new minister’s personnel strategy includes retaining specialists currently implementing reforms, particularly in government procurement. Issues regarding cooperation with international partners and the effectiveness of fund management remain among the key challenges for the updated leadership of the Ministry of Defence.
Photo: RBC-Ukraine
