Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for "unity" within the army command amid criticism over the resignation of the popular defense minister following disagreements with the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP)

Speaking about the dispute between dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelenskyy said: "Frankly, a leader whose country is at war should not have to choose under such circumstances," adding: "I strongly desire to achieve unity." The commander-in-chief of the army said via the Telegram app: "We must focus on the war and on an effective strategy that is currently yielding tangible results," expressing gratitude to the outgoing minister "for his work."

Dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (AP)

Also on Thursday, Ukrainian Joint Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi praised the military transformation launched by the resigned defense minister in a rare public comment.

Drapatyi wrote on Facebook: "I am grateful to the Defense Ministry team for undertaking this work and for not hesitating to address problems," adding: "The process of transforming the defense forces cannot stop at merely changing the minister, the command, or the head of a particular department; it must continue until fair and clear rules prevail." Zelenskyy has not yet announced a replacement for Fedorov, and the Ukrainian parliament has not yet voted on his resignation.

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Also on Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament approved the appointment of Serhiy Koretsky, head of the state energy company Naftogaz, as prime minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle.

The Ukrainian parliament reported on social media that it voted with 289 votes out of 318 "in favor of appointing Serhiy Koretsky as prime minister of Ukraine." Zelenskyy nominated Koretsky, citing his record in the energy sector, saying he was the best to help prepare Ukraine for another winter during the war.

On Tuesday, parliament accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko after Zelenskyy dismissed her two days earlier, which automatically required the ministers of her government to leave their posts.

Serhiy Koretsky, head of the state energy company Naftogaz, as prime minister (AFP)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday she expected "excellent cooperation" with the new Ukrainian prime minister. She said: "You can count on our full support as you move forward with your ambitious reform program" on Ukraine's path to EU membership, without referring to the appointment of a new defense minister.

Hours after deadly exchanges of strikes between Russia and Ukraine, hundreds of Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv and other cities on Thursday to protest the resignation of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who is highly popular, as part of the government reshuffle by Zelenskyy. Fedorov, appointed defense minister in January, is seen as a reformer seeking to modernize the Ukrainian army and introduce new technologies to the front to reduce troop losses.

President Zelenskyy with a team of European officials in Kyiv (AP)

His departure, seen as a dismissal after Zelenskyy announced a government reshuffle, has raised serious concerns about the future of Ukrainian forces, which in recent months have succeeded in halting Russian advances on the front and increasing pressure on Moscow by striking deep targets inside Russia. Critics have warned that the move could hinder military reforms during the war.

Agence France-Presse reported from Kyiv that hundreds of people gathered in a central square, waving Ukrainian and European flags and shouting "Shame" and "Bring back Fedorov," a day after his departure was announced.

Ukrainian media reported that demonstrations were also held in Odesa in the south, Kharkiv in the northeast, Dnipro in the east-central region, and Lviv in the west.

In a related context, outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer traveled to Ukraine on Thursday for his last visit to the war-torn country before leaving office next week.

Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference in Kyiv with Starmer: "Britain has always stood by Ukraine, and still does, and we attach great importance to that." Zelenskyy awarded his British guest the Order of Liberty in recognition of his "support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," according to a decree read at the press conference.

Starmer upon arriving at Kyiv station (AFP)

Starmer visited Kyiv to reaffirm the United Kingdom's "steadfast support" for Ukraine in its war against Russia, before leaving office and handing over to Andy Burnham on Monday. He said in remarks released by his office: "Our unwavering support for Ukraine will always remain."

His visit came just hours after a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital that killed two people. Burnham will take over leadership of the governing Labour Party on Friday before becoming prime minister on Monday after meeting King Charles III. He will be the fifth British prime minister since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Nevertheless, he is respected by many foreign leaders, especially for his efforts on Ukraine and his commitment to NATO.

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Starmer, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, helped lead efforts to establish a peacekeeping force aimed at deterring Russia in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine. On Monday, Britain joined the European Union's financial support loan to Ukraine worth 90 billion euros ($103 billion).

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday during a visit to Kyiv to support mediation efforts that Ankara does not want to see the war in Ukraine spread further into the Black Sea. Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly targeted each other's ships in the Black Sea, a vital waterway for both countries' exports.

Fidan said at a press conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart: "We do not want the war to spread to the Black Sea." He added: "There is no justification for a war in Europe to last five years in the 21st century. We need peace more than ever." He added: "We are intensifying our diplomatic contacts with both countries to strengthen peace efforts."

President Zelenskyy with a team of European officials in Kyiv (AP)

Turkey has hosted several rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia, at the beginning of the war and again in 2025. But these talks have only resulted in large-scale prisoner exchanges, which were already happening continuously.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that there are no indications yet about resuming peace talks with Ukraine, but it indicated that Russia remains open to that step.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia appreciates Turkey's readiness to contribute to peace efforts.

Group photo of leaders and heads of government of countries participating in the 'Coalition of the Willing' to support Ukraine during their meeting in Paris on Monday (AP)