NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has stated that the appointment of a new Ukrainian defence minister to replace Mykhailo Fedorov should not significantly alter Kyiv\u2019s strategy in the war against Russia. Speaking to the DPA news agency, he said he expected continuity in policy and spoke positively of the Ukrainian military\u2019s current actions on the front line.<\/p>\n
Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n Rutte<\/strong> He said that the Ukrainian military was performing much better than at the start of the year. In his view, the Russian army is advancing very slowly, whilst the Defence Forces have been able to launch counter-attacks in some areas.<\/p>\n He also stated that Ukraine is carrying out strikes deep inside Russian territory, targeting energy infrastructure and industrial facilities. The NATO Secretary-General added that, according to him, Russia is losing between 25,000 and 35,000 soldiers every month.<\/p>\n The NATO Secretary-General said that he had enjoyed a good working relationship with Mikhail Fedorov<\/strong>, and wished him every success. In his view, Fedorov\u2019s successor \u00abwill undoubtedly continue along this path\u00bb.<\/p>\n Rutte thus linked the personnel change not to a review of military strategy, but to the preservation of its main thrusts. This is the Alliance\u2019s Secretary-General\u2019s assessment of Ukraine\u2019s future course.<\/p>\n On 16 July, the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/strong> said.<\/a>, who appointed the acting head of the SBU to carry out the duties of Minister of Defence To Yevhen Khmara<\/strong>. The Law \u00abOn the National Security of Ukraine\u00bb stipulates that the Minister of Defence and his deputies must be civilians.<\/p>\n Later, Suspilne\u2019s sources within the SBU reported that Khmara\u2019s first deputy is to act as interim head of the agency in his place Oleksandr Poklad<\/strong>. On the same day Verkhovna Rada<\/a> did not vote on the nominations for the ministers of foreign affairs and defence: these must be submitted to parliament by the President.<\/p>\n\n
Assessment of the situation on the front line<\/h2>\n
What Rutte said about Fedorov<\/h2>\n
The appointment still has to be approved by parliament<\/h2>\n
Reaction to the decision regarding the Ministry of Defence<\/h2>\n