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European Union Leadership Reaffirms Support for Ukraine Following Government Reshuffle
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a phone conversation on July 20 with Ukraine's newly appointed Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi.
During the call, European officials promised continued backing for Ukraine's reform agenda aimed at advancing its European Union membership process.
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Discussions also focused on winter preparation measures and safeguarding critical energy infrastructure across the country. The dialogue addressed defense collaboration under established bilateral agreements.
Very good phone call with @KoretskyiUA.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 20, 2026
We will continue cooperating closely on reforms that move Ukraine’s EU accession process forward.
Our Drone Deal will harness the EU’s industrial strength to produce Ukraine’s most innovative defence equipment at speed and scale.
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"Our drone agreement will allow us to harness the industrial capacity of the EU for the rapid and large-scale production of the most innovative defense equipment for Ukraine," von der Leyen stated.
She noted that Koretskyi can "count on full support, including in efforts to improve energy sector governance." The call followed major personnel adjustments within the Ukrainian government leadership.
On July 16, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada approved the candidacy of Serhii Koretskyi as Ukraine’s new prime minister, while the appointment of a defense minister was postponed.
Koretskyi, a Ukrainian manager who had led the state energy company Naftogaz since 2025 following extensive experience in private business and state energy enterprises, assumed the post amid an incomplete government reshuffle.
Because candidate Ihor Klymenko reportedly turned down the defense portfolio, lawmaker Mariia Mezentseva announced that the ruling faction would hold further consultations, while lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak requested discussions between parliamentary groups and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the next nominee.
On July 20, 2026, Zelenskyy held a series of meetings with senior military commanders, focused on frontline developments, defense strategy, and accelerating international military supplies, while the General Staff explicitly denied social media reports that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov had been removed from their posts.
Zelenskyy met individually with key leaders, including Denys Prokopenko, Oleh Apostol, Ihor Obolenskyi, Andrii Biletskyi, Mykhailo Drapatyi, and Volodymyr Horbatiuk, highlighting the widespread deployment of drones as a central priority.
The official clarification and high-level strategy sessions occurred amid ongoing nationwide protests that began on July 16 following the departure of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov during a broader government reshuffle, which saw thousands demonstrate in Kyiv and across major Ukrainian and international cities demanding Syrskyi's dismissal.
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