Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has approved a new government, with a new cabinet of ministers headed by former Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretsky. However, the government was approved with one major caveat: it was incomplete. It lacked both a foreign minister and, most importantly, a defense minister. These two positions fall under the president of Ukraine’s constitutional quota, meaning the president must personally nominate them to parliament. President Volodymyr Zelensky did not nominate anyone today. As a result, Ukraine now has a government without its most important minister.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Why does this matter? First, because Ukraine is fighting a full-scale war. Second, because Ukraine’s defense budget effectively constitutes the entire state budget – with Western partners financing social expenditure. That defense budget is projected to reach $100 billion in 2026. So why did this happen? Why have people taken to the streets and what happens next? Fedorov’s name is the one that matters As of the afternoon of July 15, the reshuffle appeared straightforward. The plan was to replace Mykhailo Fedorov – the reform-minded minister who had launched transparent procurement, certification, and quality-control reforms at the Ministry of Defense, infuriating the military bureaucracy. Taking his place would be Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, who, while not a military officer himself, at least had experience leading a major ministry.