First appointments of Ukraine’s President Zelenskyi

Volodymyr Zelenskyi assumed the office and became the sixth president of Ukraine.

The solemn ceremony of inauguration took place in Kyiv on Monday, May 20. The new head of the state greeted the audience that welcomed him at Mariinskyi Park in the downtown Kyiv. Zelenskyi passed the improvised corridor in the park, shaking hands and making selfies with his supporters. The head of the state made the oath the traditional way, with his right hand on Peresopnytsia Gospels and the Constitution of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi delivered a very strong and affecting inauguration speech. He flirted with comparing himself to Ronald Reagan, and posited that Ukraine should attempt to emulate Iceland’s success “in football, the Israelis in defending their rightful land, the Japanese in terms of technology, the Swiss in terms of knowing how to coexist happily with each other despite any differences.

«All my life I tried to do all I could so that Ukrainians laughed. That was my mission. Now I will do all I can so that Ukrainians at least do not cry any more», — said Zelenskyi.

Ukrainian President dissolved parliament and called for snap elections on July 21.

The corresponding decree was posted on the presidential website with the reason given for the dissolution being the absence of a coalition for over a month.

The Cabinet of Ministers is now charged with providing funding for early elections.

“The government does not solve our problems. The government is our problem.” I do not understand our government that only shrugs and says: “There is nothing we can do.”  Not true. You can,- addressed Zelenskyi to the deputes.

President also has asked all Ukrainian officials not to hang his portrait in their offices but to hang their children’s portraits instead.

Ukraine’s new president wanted a fresh team. He appointed Andrii Bohdan as the Head of his presidential administration.

He is a lawyer who previously worked for one of Ukraine’s richest men, Ihor Kolomoiskyi, and who had a role in Mr Zelenskyi’s election campaign.

Kurt Volker, the US special envoy to Ukraine “strongly recommended not to appoint Bohdan” in a conversation with Zelenskyi. Bohdan’s appointment gives fuel to suspicions that have floated in international media for some time: that Zelenskyi is close to Kolomoiskyi, and could be his puppet.

The First Deputy of the Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine became Serhii Trofimov, he was a producer in Mr Zelenskyi’s Kvartal 95 studio.

And Zelenskyi’s childhood friend Ivan Bakanov became the First Deputy Head of Ukraine’s State Security Service.

Bakanov is the leader of the party “Servant of the People” from December 2017. He headed the election headquarters of Volodymyr Zelenskyi in the elections of 2019.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi appointed Ruslan Khomchak as the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, dismissing Viktor Muzhenko.

Khomchak graduated from the Moscow Military Commanders Training School. He served in a group of Soviet troops in Germany, later – in Belarus. Military man started climbing a career ladder after Viktor Yanukovych had come to power. Already in 2011, Khomchak received the rank of Major General, and in August 2013 had become Lieutenant-General. Since 2016 and until the appointment to a new post he headed the ground forces headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Many perceive Khomchak’s appointment as a head of the General Staff quite unambiguously and there is a reason: at the time of the military operation in Ilovaysk, he was commanding 1500 military personnel who were surrounded by the Russian army.

The first assistant to the president became Serhii Shefir.

He is one of the founders, managers, and authors of Kvartal 95 studio. He acted as a producer in all seasons of the series Svaty, 8 first dates, Love in a big city and Servant of the people.

Former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk became the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.

In 2014, President Petro Poroshenko appointed Danyliuk as his permanent representative in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. In 2016, he was appointed Minister of Finance. In June 2018, he was dismissed – this was preceded by a conflict with Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.

Among the other political appointees were:

• Ruslan Stefanchuk – an advisor to the president and a representative in the Verkhovna Rada
• Andrii Herus – a representative of the president in the Cabinet of Ministers
• Ruslan Riaboshapka – one of the deputy heads of the presidency
• Yurii Kostiuk – one of the deputy heads of the presidency
• Kyrylo Tymoshenko – one of the deputy heads of the presidency
• Vadym Prystaiko – one of the deputy heads of the presidency
• Andrii Yermak – assistant to the president
• Mykhailo Fedorov – freelance advisor to the president

According to the president, one of the main task will be to achieve a ceasefire in Donbas.

As we reported earlier, on April 30, the Central Election Commission announced the results of the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine in 2019. Volodymyr Zelenskyi wins the presidential run with 73,22% of the votes. Petro Poroshenko got 24,45% of the votes.

41-year-old showman, artist and comedian Volodymyr Zelenskyi became known in Ukraine as the lead actor in the TV series “Servant of the People” – in which he ‘accidentally’ becomes the president of Ukraine. He has never patricipated in political life before.