Zelensky Proposes Khmara as Defense Minister, Sibiga as Foreign Minister

MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky has proposed to appoint Yevgeny Khmara as Ukraine’s defense minister, according to materials on meetings between the candidate and factions in the Verkhovna Rada, published by lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak on his Telegram channel. Andrey Sibiga is proposed to become foreign minister. Khmara and Sibiga currently serve as acting defense and foreign ministers respectively. However, their candidacies have not been officially submitted to the parliament. Earlier, Ukrainian media reported that Sibiga is likely to secure enough votes in the Verkhovna Rada to become foreign minister, but doubted lawmakers’ support for Khmara. The voting for both candidates will be held on August 19.