Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed a new foreign minister as he seeks to breathe fresh life into his administration - with the war against Russia poised for what could be a pivotal phase.
Andrii Sybiha, a former ambassador to Turkey, is the country's new chief diplomat after being appointed by Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday, two legislators said.
He replaces Dmytro Kuleba, who became one of Ukraine's most recognisable faces on the international stage as he petitioned and pleaded with Western countries to support Ukraine's war effort.
Mr Sybiha, 49, has been working as deputy foreign minister under Mr Kuleba since April.
Mr Zelensky wants to replace almost a dozen top officials in his biggest government shake-up since Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022.
Other possible new faces included the heads of strategic industries, farming, and justice.
Parliament's approval is required for the changes.
Ukrainian legislators Yaroslav Zhelezniak and Oleksii Honcharenko confirmed the vote to The Associated Press.
Mr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday of the reshuffle that Ukraine needs "new energy".
The war, more than 900 days long, is on the cusp of what could be a key period.
A likely hard winter lies ahead, testing the country's resolve.
Ukraine's power grid is under severe strain after Russian missiles and drones knocked out around 70 per cent of the country's generation capacity. That could mean going without heat and water.
On the battlefield, Ukraine is waiting to see whether the military's gamble with its surprise thrust into Russia's Kursk border region a month ago pays dividends.
Meanwhile, outgunned Ukrainian soldiers are gradually being pushed backward by Russia's months-long drive deeper into eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainian civilians are at the mercy of Russia's deadly long-range aerial strikes.
The casualty list from a strike on a military training school in Poltava on Tuesday grew to 55 dead and 328 injured, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said.
A search and rescue operation was continuing.
No major policy changes are expected under the new administration.
Mr Zelensky's five-year mandate expired in May but he remains in power under the provisions of martial law, and his leadership is largely unchallenged.
Mr Sybiha, the new foreign minister who also previously worked in the president's office, takes on the role as Ukraine endeavours to prevent war fatigue from eroding the West's commitment.
Kyiv officials will also have to navigate the result of the US election in November, which could produce important policy shifts in Washington.
At the top of Ukraine's wish list are more Western air defence systems and permission from its Western partners to let it use their weapons to hit targets on Russian soil.
Some Western leaders are reluctant to grant that because they fear an escalation that could drag them into the fighting.
