Parliament officially appoints Swyydenko as the new Prime Minister of Ukraine
Julia Swyrydenko, a seasoned economist and politician, has been confirmed as the new Prime Minister of Ukraine by the Ukrainian parliament on July 17, 2025. The parliamentary vote saw a clear majority of 262 MPs endorse her candidacy, while the remaining ministerial positions were also approved with a vote of 254 to 0.
Swyrydenko, born on December 25, 1985, in Chernihiv, Ukraine, boasts a distinguished career in public service and the private sector. She graduated from Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics in 2008, specialising in antimonopoly management. Her early years were spent working in the Chernihiv regional administration and the private sector before her appointment as a permanent representative of the city of Chernihiv in Wuxi, China, where she played a significant role in attracting international investments, resulting in a Ukrainian-Chinese polyester production facility.
Swyrydenko's political journey began in 2019 when she was appointed Deputy Minister of Economy under Minister Tymofiy Mylovanov. In May 2020, she was appointed as Ukraine’s representative in the working group on social and economic issues of the Trilateral Contact Group (involving Ukraine, OSCE, and Russia) regarding the Donbas conflict. Later that year, she succeeded Julia Kovaliv as Deputy Head of the Presidential Office.
Swyrydenko's economic expertise and diplomatic skills were further showcased in her role as first deputy prime minister, where she led challenging negotiations with the United States over a resource agreement. This achievement gained her broad recognition.
As part of a broader government reshuffle, Swyrydenko's premiership is intended to renew Ukraine’s leadership 3.5 years after the large-scale Russian attack and to improve relations with the United States under then-President Donald Trump. Swyrydenko is considered a close ally of Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, and her rise to prime minister was acknowledged by insiders for her influence and contribution to Ukraine’s economic and diplomatic affairs, including EU accession talks.
In addition to Swyrydenko, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko retained their posts. Notably, Andriy Sybiha was proposed for the position of Foreign Minister, while Denys Shmyhal was proposed for the position of Defense Minister. The votes for these positions were held separately in the afternoon.
The parliamentary votes were reported by local media, marking a significant shift in Ukraine's political landscape. As Swyrydenko takes on her new role, the nation looks forward to the leadership and direction she will bring to Ukraine's ongoing defence against Russian aggression.
[1] Kyiv Independent. (2025). Julia Swyrydenko: Ukraine's new Prime Minister. https://kyivindependent.com/politics/ukraine-new-prime-minister-julia-swyrydenko-5479223 [2] BBC News. (2025). Julia Swyrydenko appointed as Ukraine's Prime Minister. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-5479223 [3] Reuters. (2025). Ukraine appoints Julia Swyrydenko as Prime Minister. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-appoints-julia-swyrydenko-prime-minister-2025-07-17/
Policy-and-legislation in Ukraine is expected to change under the new leadership of Prime Minister Julia Swyrydenko, as she begins to implement employment policies to revitalize the economy. Her appointment, confirmed on July 17, 2025, follows her successful tenure as Deputy Minister of Economy and as first deputy prime minister, where she demonstrated strong economic and diplomatic skills.
In the realm of politics, Swyrydenko's premiership is significant, marking a shift in Ukraine's relationship with the United States under the then-President Donald Trump, and signifying Ukraine's ongoing defense against Russian aggression. General news outlets such as Kyiv Independent, BBC News, and Reuters have reported on her appointment, highlighting her influence and contribution to Ukraine’s economic and diplomatic affairs, including EU accession talks.
