The Verkhovna Rada rejected the appointment of Denys Shmyhal as First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Energy of Ukraine
On January 13, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine rejected the nomination of Denys Shmyhal to the position of First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Energy. Only 210 deputies out of the required 226 voted for the appointment. After that, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced a break for consultations with the heads of factions and groups. This is stated in the broadcast of the plenary session.
Before the vote, Shmyhal’s candidacy was personally presented by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, emphasizing his managerial experience and practical understanding of the work of the energy sector of Ukraine. She noted:
“Energy requires not only heroism on the ground, but also systemic management at the state level, a single plan, clear priorities, control over implementation and speed of decisions. This is how we will get through the winter and lay the foundation for recovery and development. Denys Anatoliyovych has the necessary management experience and practical understanding of the functioning of the energy sector of Ukraine”.
Previously, parliamentarians supported the dismissal of Shmyhal from the post of Minister of Defense, which he has held since July 17, 2025. Before that, he was Prime Minister. Some members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence considered his dismissal unfounded.
People’s Deputy from the “Holos” faction Solomiya Bobrovska noted that Shmyhal had done a “professional job” as Minister of Defense after the “complete mess”, which, according to her, was in the department under the previous head Rustem Umerov. Her colleague on the committee from the “Batkivshchyna” faction Yevhen Ivchenko added that “this is the first time a minister has been dismissed for nothing”. The head of the “Servant of the People” faction David Arakhamia emphasized that “the energy sector is now in a much worse state than the Ministry of Defense”, noting that Shmyhal in the Ministry of Defense “has adjusted all the processes”.
