Mykhaylo Fedorov stressed that he will not accept any position other than defence minister.
He said this in a comment to journalists, LB.ua reports.
"I am grateful to the President for all the options offered. But today there are only three positions in the state that, besides the military on the battlefield, truly determine the course of the war — the President of Ukraine, the Minister of Defence, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. That is why I will accept no other position except that of Minister of Defence," Fedorov said.
He noted that for him the issue is "not about a position or status," but about the ability to genuinely influence the outcome and bring Ukraine’s victory closer.
"None of the other positions has real authority to tackle corruption in procurement, complete the army transformation we have begun, plan and carry out asymmetric actions and operations against the enemy, eradicate a culture of lying and irresponsibility within the system, and finish other things our team has already started at the Ministry of Defence," Fedorov explained.
He recalled that he took over the Defence Ministry in January 2026 at the invitation of President Zelenskyy.
"Our team came to the Ministry of Defence with a concrete plan for how to end the war: protect the skies, stop the front, and strike the enemy’s economy. We called this plan AIR–LAND–ECONOMY. Over six months, we consistently implemented exactly this plan. For the first time in recent years, Ukraine began to seize the initiative. Our shared results created something that did not exist before — a window of opportunity to force Russia to peace through strength. And it must not be lost," Fedorov added.
Context
Mykhaylo Fedorov took over the Defence Ministry in January this year and led it for seven months. He suddenly lost the post in July because the President did not submit him for reappointment at the Defence Ministry. Zelenskyy said there was such a conflict between the army leadership and the Defence Ministry that without him they “won’t sit down” to talk.
The decision to dismiss Fedorov triggered mass protests in Kyiv and other cities. Protesters demanded that Fedorov be reinstated and, instead, that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyy be dismissed, whom the former minister accused of sabotaging decisions.
At first, according to sources at LB and other media, Ihor Klymenko, who headed the Interior Ministry, was considered for the post of defence minister. Against the backdrop of the protests, Klymenko was never submitted for the Defence Ministry post. The President decided that the duties of defence minister would be carried out by General Yevhen Khmara, head of the SBU’s Alpha Special Operations Center. Khmara led the SBU in an acting capacity, and last week the government appointed him acting defence minister. For a full appointment, he will need to be discharged from military service.
Ihor Klymenko ultimately did not receive a new post in the government and became Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy held several conversations with Fedorov, including on 21 July. The President also held numerous consultations with brigade commanders and force commanders. On Saturday, Zelenskyy said decisions regarding the army would be worked out.
On 21 July, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the new Commander-in-Chief would be Mykhaylo Drapatyy. And he offered Fedorov a “worthy position in government.” Fedorov did not publicly voice agreement to this position.
Later, Zelenskyy said that he had offered Fedorov several positions, the latest being Deputy Prime Minister for Military Innovation. However, he refused.
On 24 July, Kyiv and other cities are preparing to launch open-ended protests demanding that Mykhaylo Fedorov be returned to the Defence Ministry.