[Source: Reuters]

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Ukraine needed “new energy”, as he ordered a major government reshuffle at a crucial juncture in the war against Russia.

A total of six ministers, including Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, submitted their resignation and parliament accepted the resignations of four.

They included the resignations of a deputy prime minister in charge of European integration, the strategic industries minister overseeing Ukraine’s arms production and two other ministers, the lawmakers said.

Lawmakers said that parliament was expected to consider Kuleba’s resignation on Thursday.

After Zelenskiy, 43-year-old Kuleba was the best-known face of Ukraine overseas, meeting leaders around the world and lobbying for military and political support in fluent English.

Analysts said the government reset had been planned for some time but was postponed because Zelenskiy had focused on talks with Kyiv’s Western partners through the summer to secure military and financial aid.