Ukraine’s new defence minister will need to make efforts to build relations with Western leaders, says Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas commenting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to replace his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Reznikov.
“This minister was in the most difficult period [...]. I had the opportunity to meet him for the first time before the war and a few weeks after the war started – indeed, he has good relations with many defence ministers, many countries. He cannot automatically pass on his contacts. The new minister will have to make an effort to establish those contacts and channels,” Anušauskas told reporters on Monday.
Reznikov, appointed three months before Moscow’s invasion in February 2022, has led Kyiv’s negotiations to equip its forces with modern weaponry from allies.
His removal comes in the midst of Kyiv’s counteroffensive and during Ukraine’s general push against corruption in response EU requests.
Anušauskas said that he hoped that the Ukrainian political leadership would continue working with Reznikov because of his “good connections and contacts”.
“I think that Reznikov’s base of relations is very good, and no matter how he is viewed domestically, no matter what they find or look for [about him], I see him as a very reliable partner with whom we have really good relations,” the minister said.
“The support that has been provided by Western countries, the way it has been used, in fact, and the accounting that some countries have demanded, that is in Ukraine – I have had the opportunity to see for myself – all of this is being implemented, all of this is being done,” he added.
Zelensky nominated Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar who has been head of the State Property Fund since last year, to replace Reznikov.
Meanwhile, Ukraine said on Monday it had made gains against Russian forces in the south and clawed back territory near Bakhmut in the east, as it battles to break through Russian defences.
Kyiv launched a counter-offensive against Moscow’s forces in June after stockpiling Western weapons and building up assault battalions, but has struggled to make headway against heavily fortified Russian positions.
Ukraine has hit back at criticism of the apparent slow pace of its counter-offensive, acknowledging tough battles against Russian defensive lines of trenches and minefields that are kilometres deep.
Unsure of how long Russia is determined to continue its war, Western allies are working on long-term plans to supply arms and finance Ukraine.
“Meetings of EU defence ministers are now getting, I would say, a second wind. If we are talking about Ukraine, the scope of support, the content of the discussions is much broader and deeper than it was a couple of years ago,” Anušauskas said after discussing the situation in Ukraine with his EU counterparts last week.
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