Ukraine’s parliament approves Andriy Sybiha as new foreign minister

Source: Yaroslav Zheleznyak/Telegram

On Thursday, Ukraine got its new foreign minister after the Vekhovna Rada’s vote approved his appointment.  The former deputy foreign minister Sapiha assumed the role after his former boss Dmytro Kuleba resigned on Tuesday.  Sapiha received the votes of 258 Ukrainian MPs, while 28 abstained and 29 chose to sit on the fence.

Andriy Sybiha, appointed as Ukraine’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs on September 5, 2024, is a seasoned diplomat with an extensive career in international relations and law. His rise to the top of Ukraine’s diplomatic service reflects a deep commitment to his country and a wealth of experience cultivated over nearly three decades in the field.

Born in the town of Zboriv in western Ukraine, Sybiha pursued his higher education at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv where he earned degrees in law and international relations.

He began his diplomatic journey in 1997, when he joined Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) as an attaché. In 1998, he was appointed second and then first secretary for consular affairs at the Ukrainian Embassy in Poland.

Following his time in Poland, Sybiha returned to the MFA, where he continued to rise through the ranks. By 2003, he was acting head of the department, and in 2006, he was promoted to deputy director of a key MFA department.

In 2012, he became director of the Department of Consular Services, managing Ukraine’s global consular network.

One of Sybiha’s most notable appointments came in 2016 when he was named Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey. During his tenure, Sybiha played a pivotal role in strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between Ukraine and Turkey, a strategically significant partner. He served in this capacity until May 2021, when he was recalled by president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Following his ambassadorship, Sybiha was appointed Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, where he worked from 2021 to 2024.