Ukrainian minister dismissal results in German talks cancelled

Ukraine's parliament on Thursday dismissed the deputy prime minister responsible for reconstruction, resulting in the cancellation of a meeting with German Development Minister Svenja Schulze who had travelled to Kiev to meet him.

Schulze went to Kiev specifically to prepare for an international reconstruction conference for Ukraine in Berlin in June.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, 41, had been minister of infrastructure since 2021 and deputy prime minister since 2022. His ministry was also responsible for local and regional policy. He was also responsible for defence logistics in Ukraine's current defence against Russia's war against it.

According to statements in the Supreme Rada or parliament, infrastructure and local government are to be divided again.

Kubrakov wrote on Facebook that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and the faction of the presidential party Servants of the People had not spoken to him about these decisions.

Schulze expressed disappointment in Kubrakov's sacking, and concern about what it could mean for future cooperation and plans for the upcoming Berlin conference.

His dismissal is "personally very, very unfortunate," she said. Kubrakov had been very committed to fighting corruption and had been very successful in this area. "And we pushed many of the projects forward together with him."

Schulze briefly met with Kubrakov after arriving in Kiev, but due to the surprising turn of events, the meeting was cut short. He gave the German minister a necklace with a white dove of peace as a gift, which she wore during her visit.

Various speculations were circulating in Kiev about the possible reasons for Kubrakov's surprising dismissal. Some politicians contended that regional development had been neglected in the oversized combined ministry.

Zelensky announced at the end of March that there could be a reshuffle in the Ukrainian leadership.