Servant of the People faction, Zelensky agree 9 candidates for ministerial posts in Ukraine

MOSCOW. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Nine candidates to fill recently vacated ministerial posts were agreed at the Servant of the People faction's meeting attended by President Vladimir Zelensky, Ukrainian media said.

First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga has been proposed as a candidate for Ukrainian foreign minister.

"The faction's meeting took place [...] The reshuffle was on the agenda [...] President Vladimir Zelensky joined us. Based on the outcomes of the faction's meeting, we formulated a general picture of personnel rotations in order to make our state stronger: Andrei Sibiga [was nominated] for foreign minister," Servant of the People faction head David Arakhamia said on Telegram on Wednesday.

Dmitry Kuleba handed in his letter of resignation from the post of foreign minister on Tuesday. His letter of resignation will be reviewed by the Ukrainian parliament.

Deputy head of the President's Office Alexei Kuleba has been proposed for the post of deputy prime minister and regional policy minister, Arakhamia said.

The faction's candidate for deputy prime minister for European integration and justice minister is Olga Stefanishina, he said.

Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova has been proposed as a candidate for minister for veterans' issues, and deputy head of the President's Office Nikolai Tochitsky for the post of culture and information policy minister.

The faction's candidate for the post of youth and sports minister is acting Minister Matvei Bedny.

Deputy Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk has been proposed for ecology minister, Arakhamia said.

JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry CEO German Smetanin may become Ukraine's strategic industries minister.

Former Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin will be appointed to a post in the President's Office, where he will be in charge of weapons procurement and infrastructure, Arakhamia said.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk is also being transferred to the President's Office.