Naftogaz CEO Sergii Koretskyi is expected to be appointed as Ukraine’s next prime minister, according to senior Ukrainian officials and sources familiar with the matter. The anticipated leadership change follows current Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko’s confirmation on July 12 that she will step down amid a broader government reshuffle directed by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Sources indicate that Zelensky officially proposed Koretskyi for the role during a meeting on Friday, an offer which Koretskyi reportedly accepted. The parliamentary vote to confirm his appointment is likely to occur on July 16.
Koretskyi, who took the helm at the state energy giant Naftogaz in May 2025, has garnered a reputation as an effective crisis manager. He previously led Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta, where he was credited with stabilizing domestic energy infrastructure and maintaining profitability despite relentless Russian strikes on production facilities. He will inherit a wartime economy facing severe pressures and ongoing threats to the nation’s energy grid.
Meanwhile, outgoing Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who assumed office in July 2025, is reportedly being tapped to become Ukraine’s next ambassador to the United States. She is expected to succeed Olha Stefanishyna, who is stepping down at her own request. Neither Koretskyi nor Svyrydenko’s offices have provided official public confirmation of the pending moves.
