The Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Defense Supported Khmara's Candidacy for Minister of Defense

It is expected that the parliament will consider Hmara's appointment today.

The Committee on National Security, Defence, and Intelligence of the Verkhovna Rada unanimously supported the candidacy of Yevheniy Khmara for the position of Minister of Defence of Ukraine.

As said by Mykolaiv deputy from Holos Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the decision was supported by all 15 committee members.

It is expected that today the Verkhovna Rada will consider the appointment of Hmara as head of the Ministry of Defence and will hold the corresponding vote.

What preceded it?

The candidacy of Yevheniy Khmara for the post of minister of defence was submitted to the parliament by President Volodymyr Zelensky on the eve. Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said that the Verkhovna Rada would consider the submission in the near future in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine and the established parliamentary procedure.

It should be noted that to become minister of defence, Khmara must resign from military service. According to Ukrainian law, the head of the Ministry of Defence must be a civilian.

Yevheniy Khmara has been acting as minister of defence since 20 July—after the government was renewed. In this position he replaced Mykhailo Fedorov, whose dismissal sparked protests across the country. Zelensky proposed alternative posts for Fedorov, including deputy prime minister for innovation, but Fedorov agreed only to return to the Ministry of Defence.