Zelenskyy nominates Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretskyi as Ukraine's prime minister, citing winter preparedness

Winter preparation drives the change

President Zelenskyy declared that the overriding priority for his next government is readiness for the coming winter, which last year brought severe power outages and heating cuts because of Russian strikes on energy plants. "If we are entering the winter period, we must be prepared for it," he said during a joint appearance with EC President von der Leyen in Kyiv. The president argued that Koretskyi's hands-on management of Ukraine's largest state energy group makes him uniquely qualified to lead the cabinet through the cold months.

If we are entering the winter period, we must be prepared for it. We have been preparing for a long time, but the priorities are clear – preparing for winter. That is why Serhiy Koretskyi, after all consultations, is probably the best-prepared person to take the post of prime minister of Ukraine.

The nomination process

On the evening of 15 July, Zelenskyy formally submitted Koretskyi's candidacy to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk confirmed receipt of the presidential request and told the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet that the chamber would consider the matter "in the near future according to established procedures." Koretskyi met the same day with all parliamentary factions and was due to hold separate talks with deputies from the president's Servant of the People party. The path to the premiership was cleared on 14 July, when the Rada accepted the resignation of outgoing prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The motion passed with 258 votes, and the entire government stepped down alongside her.

Svyrydenko's exit and next steps

Svyrydenko had held the premiership only since 17 July 2025, replacing Denys Shmyhal. Zelenskyy announced her dismissal on 12 July, framing it as a move that would free her to oversee "an important partnership direction with a key partner" of Ukraine. She confirmed her departure shortly afterwards. Several lawmakers told Ukrainska Prawda that she is likely to be appointed ambassador to the United States, succeeding Olha Stefanyshyna, though a source quoted by Interfax-Ukraina said Svyrydenko was not considering the diplomatic post. The Ukrainian constitution requires the Rada to approve the new prime minister, and the vote is scheduled for 16 July. If confirmed, Koretskyi will have to form a new cabinet while navigating continued Russian attacks on energy infrastructure and ongoing economic pressure.

An energy manager turned premier

Serhiy Koretskyi, born in Lutsk on 14 March 1978, graduated from the local State Technical University in automotive engineering and enterprise economics, later adding qualifications from the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas. He earned an Executive MBA in Kyiv in 2019. His career inside the state energy sector began in November 2022, when he was appointed CEO of Ukrnafta after the government seized energy assets from oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky. Forbes reported at the time that Zelenskyy personally approved the choice, demanding "a normal person from the market, a top-level manager who will not steal." Koretskyi subsequently became chairman of the Naftogaz group on 14 May 2025.

He has documented successes in crisis management. He transformed the loss-making Ukrnafta into a profitable company and maintained Naftogaz during mass attacks on energy infrastructure.

Politologist Volodymyr Fesenko, interviewed by Radio Svoboda, judged Koretskyi the optimal candidate because he enjoys a good reputation in Ukraine and the West, has no political ties, and could steer a government focused on the economy and technology. The energy manager was seen accompanying Zelenskyy at the recent NATO summit in Ankara, participating in meetings with European leaders and with US President Donald Trump, where he discussed further support for Ukraine's energy sector.