Shmyhal explains appointment of new NSDC secretary: president sees Umerov as negotiator

This was announced by former Prime Minister and current Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal in an interview with BBC Ukraine, according to Ukrinform.

He explained that Umerov, who previously headed the Ministry of Defense, remains a key participant in the negotiation track.

According to him, the head of state decided that it was necessary to strengthen the role of the “former defense minister [Umerov] in the negotiation process.”

Shmyhal noted that in certain negotiation processes, Umerov is currently more important as a negotiator.

“You can see his role as a negotiator now. He is the head of the negotiating team, he is the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, that is, there was such a vision (of the president during personnel changes in the government – ed.),” he said.

As reported by Ukrinform, on July 17, the Verkhovna Rada voted to appoint a new Cabinet of Ministers. In the previous government, Umerov held the post of Minister of Defense, and in the new government, Shmyhal became Minister of Defense.

On July 18, President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Rustem Umerov as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and dismissed Oleksandr Lytvynenko from this position.