President already defines candidate for new defense minister – Arakhamiya

The Verkhovna Rada will vote for the appointment of a new defense minister in two to three weeks. President Volodymyr Zelensky has already defined his candidate for this position.

"I think that we will make up our mind [about the appointment of a new defense minister] in two or three weeks," Head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction David Arakhamiya told journalists on October 22, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

It is unlikely to happen the next plenary week [November 2-5], he noted.

At the same time, answering the question about who could become the new defense minister, Arakhamiya said that the President had already made the final decision.

The lawmaker refused to reveal the candidate's name.

Earlier, Arakhamiya said that the Servant of the People members would decide on the Cabinet reshuffles at a meeting of the political force. He did not specify which ministers' dismissals would be considered by MPs, but the media has been reporting the possible resignation of Defense Minister Andriy Taran in recent months.

According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are appointed by the Verkhovna Rada on the proposal of the President of Ukraine.

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