Zelenskyy vowed to replace US envoy criticised by Trump allies

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President Voludimir Zelinski has pledged to Donald Trump that he would replace Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington along with the largest amendment to the cabinet in wartime in the country, according to officials familiar with the plans.

The two leaders discussed the replacement of Ambassador Oksana Marcarova on Friday, and agreed that their teams would hold more consultations on potential candidates for each side, two officials in the conversation told the Financial Times.

Marcarova was criticized by many Trump’s allies in Congress as very close to Democrats. Its removal will be seen as Zelinski trying to satisfy Trump at a sensitive time for Ukraine, after the administration stopped some major weapons last week.

Zelenskyy is looking to appoint a “good maker” as an understanding of the White House “and at the same time to Congress,” according to a senior Ukrainian official participating in this process.

Three officials near the president said the Ukrainian leader will restructure his government again next week. He re -drafted his government several times since the war began, and the latest changes are the increasing frustration with his current government.

Balazs JARABIK, a former European Union diplomat in Kiev, said that employee changes were a familiar response to the escalation of political, economic and social pressures.

“Instead of noting a shift in the strategic direction, the amendment that aims to contain discontent appears, and a feeling of renewal and maintaining control appears amid increasing pressure on multiple fronts,” he said.

The Presidential Administration at the White House and the Ukrainian administration did not respond to the request for comment. Marcarova cannot be reached immediately to comment.

Bloomberg earlier reported part of the conversation with Trump about Marcarova.

parliament Speaker Mike Johnson called for the dismissal of Marcarova after she organized a visit by Zelinski with Democratic politicians to the weapons facility in Pennsylvania, swinging during the 2024 US election campaign, a move that many Republicans saw as a tone in a political point of view. Although alternatives were considered late last year, they remained during the transitional months of Trump’s second state.

It was at the Ukraine diplomatic efforts in Washington since 2021 and helped direct relations through Russia’s extensive invasion, and to build relations with the Biden administration.

The government amendment would be the second since September, when Zelinski said that “new energy” was necessary for the country’s illness forward, and Foreign Minister DMYTRO KULIBA has long refused, according to two officials on knowing the matter. The move sparked warnings in Western capitals, where Coliba was very respectful and considered it a reliable interlocutor.

Four Ukrainian officials said that the powerful chief of staff Zelinski Andre Yermak was organizing the current disposal, as two of them said he was seeking to unify more control of the government. Koleba was replaced in the recent expression by an experienced diplomat and Yermak Andriy Sybiha ally.

Among those who consider them to be the shop of Marcarova as the Ambassador of Ukraine in Washington, Prime Minister Dennis Shamaleh, Vice Prime Minister of European Integration, the first of which is Stefanina, Defense Secretary Rostat Omrov, Head of Energy at Galuchenko, Cultural President Mecola Toshitsky, and President, for the position of President participating in his involvement. These officials said that there could also be others.

Three of the Ukrainian officials said that Shmayal, the technocrat, who survived many government unrest and is seen as one of the few people who remain independently in the government, will be replaced by the Prime Minister by Yulia Sfaidinko.

Svydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister, is a close ally of Yermak, and is seen as building a good relationship with the Trump team after agreeing to the metal negotiation deal between Kiev and Washington with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessin.

“Andre wants 100 percent of his person. So he promotes his student, a completely loyal person to him and understands him – Yulia Sfaidinko,” said Mariana Bezuhla, a Ukrainian deputy and a member of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee.

Ukraine was scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections last year, but it was late because of the war.

Olksander Merizko, a member of the Zelensky servant of the People’s Party and Chairman of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the government’s formulation is logical periodically because holding elections during the martial law was “impossible.”

“Not all ministers are promoting the requirements and expectations during the war,” Merizko said.