<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fresh off securing a plan to receive more </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="US"><span>US</span></a><span> weaponry, </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/ukraine" rel="" target="" title="Ukrainian"><span>Ukrainian</span></a><span> President </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/volodymyr-zelenskyy" rel="" target="" title="Volodymyr Zelenskyy"><span>Volodymyr Zelenskyy</span></a><span> has appointed a new prime minister – the key negotiator of his country's deal with the US to partner on the development of minerals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>By naming Yulia Svyrydenko, the former economy minister, to become the country's first new head of government since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Zelenskyy on Thursday elevated a loyal politician who has experience in diplomacy with the US and other Western nations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addition to negotiating the mineral agreement — seen as an important way of tying US interests to Ukraine's security — the 39-year-old Svyrydenko has represented her country in a wide range of high-level talks with Western partners, including on issues of defense and economic recovery and reconstruction. In 2022, she negotiated with other countries to impose sanctions on Russia.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/james-nowland-death-australian-base-jumper-dies-in-italian-dolomites-accident/32d0c86d-86b0-42e6-952e-ce3254c164f9"><strong><span>Australian BASE jumper dies in Italian jump gone wrong</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The outgoing prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, will become defence minister at a time when Ukraine is looking to ramp up domestic weapons production, and as US President Donald Trump seeks to bring an end to the war.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"War leaves no room for delay," Svyrydenko said on X after the parliament voted to approve her promotion. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We must act swiftly and decisively. Our priorities for the first six months are clear: reliable supply for the army, expansion of domestic weapons production, and boosting the technological strength of our defense forces."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/ukraine-update-volodymyr-zelenskyy-appoints-new-prime-minister-for-war-weary-nation/feb8e205-46ca-470d-935d-f4dc182863e4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Svyrydenko and Shmyhal are among a wider group of officials taking on new leadership roles as Zelenskyy aims to re-energise a war-weary nation. But to Ukrainians, the reshuffling of the cabinet is not seen as a major shift in direction for Zelenskyy, who will still be mostly relying on the same experienced officials, as opposed to introducing new faces to his leadership team.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier this week, Trump endorsed a plan to have European allies buy billions of dollars of US military equipment – including air-defence systems – that can be transferred to Ukraine, which has come under intense Russian attacks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We all want peace as soon as possible," Zelenskyy said on Thursday in a speech to Ukraine's parliament. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/man-found-dead-on-tonkin-highway-after-suspected-hit-run-in-perth/c5ab4900-467f-40ed-82fb-730ef1703dec"><strong><span>Woman questioned after man found dead on highway</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/clive-palmers-united-australia-party-data-breach/85feaf54-f525-40c6-ae2c-f02fdc7db9d9" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>Clive Palmer's grim update for supporters</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"At the same time, we all see how difficult it is to maintain sufficient global support, and how many other wars and crises are flaring up around the world, truly scattering global efforts. Therefore, Ukraine needs more of its own strength."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/russia-ukraine-donald-trump-threatens-vladimir-putin-tariffs-over-war/f04604f6-f2a5-4096-b575-3d2431a7a4b7" rel="" target="" title="announcing the weapons plan on Monday, Trump also made an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin"><span>announcing the weapons plan on Monday, Trump also made an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin</span></a><span>, promising to impose stiff tariffs on countries that purchase its oil if he doesn't agree to a ceasefire within 50 days.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shmyhal, who announced his resignation as prime minister on Tuesday, was the longest-serving head of government in Ukraine's history, serving since March 2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shmyhal will replace Rustem Umerov as defence minster. Although Umerov sought to push reforms, critics said the ministry under his command was plagued by mismanagement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Also on Thursday, Zelenskyy nominated Olga Stefanishyna to become Ukraine's next ambassador to the United States. In the meantime, he appointed Stefanishyna, previously the minister for European integration, as the special representative for the development of cooperation with the United States.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ties between Ukraine and the US have been uneasy since Trump returned to the White House in January, and Zelenskyy had previously said he intended to replace Oksana Markarova as Ukrainian ambassador in the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em></em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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