Indrek Kannik, head of the International Center for Defense and Security (ICDS) said that the worldwide trend in recent year s has been for the role of foreign ministers to diminish in importance.

Speaking to ETV foreign affairs show "Välisilm," Kannik said that the Ukrainian government's power has been limited during war time, with greater importance placed on the president's administration and on the military.

Already given this reason, we shouldn't draw far-reaching conclusions from these changes, he added.

According to Kannik, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's intention with last week's government reshuffle was to inject fresh energy into the government, while the Ukrainian president also believed Kuleba lacked sufficient assertiveness when it comes to negotiations on additional arms.

"Much of this work had to be done by the president himself, so he hopes that the new foreign minister will be more effective and energetic in this area," Kannik told "Välisilm".

Kuleba will not be left out in the cold, and could, if it interests him, become Ukraine's ambassador to a larger or more significant country, Kannik added.

In any case the role of foreign ministers has generally diminished over time, Kannik said, citing Germany, where where the foreign minister no longer plays a role in making major decisions – these are handled by the chancellor themselves, he added.

Similarly in the U.S., the White House and the National Security Council hold much more significance not only that the State Department but also the Pentagon, Kannik continued.

"I think that, indeed, the role of foreign ministers has diminished compared with 20 or 30 years ago," Kannik said.

Kannik dismissed any idea that Zelenskyy might have seen Kuleba as a political threat. "Let's just say that former military commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi might have been seen as a threat of sorts, but Kuleba's profile certainly was not so high."

As to another theory, that Zelenskyy has a plan for victory which he wants to present to Western countries with a redoubled verve, Kannik said in any case any Ukrainian victory plan can only come to fruition in cooperation with western countries.

Zelenskyy and his new foreign minister will play a key role in facilitating the development of this plan, including the production of armaments, he added.

The greatest obstacles to forming a victory plan have come from Washington and, to some extent, Berlin, Kannik added.

"There are fears of potential escalation. In my opinion, these fears are unfounded, yet they have delayed or hindered several necessary decisions," he concluded

Kuleba's resignation a week ago was part of a wide-ranging reshuffle of the Ukrainian cabinet, which left some of the government's top jobs vacant, including the strategic industries minister in charge of weapons production.

Kuleba had been Ukrainian foreign minister since March 2020.

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