Sergii Koretskyi speaks during a briefing with government officials in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 5, 2026. —Danylo Antoniuk/Ukrinform—Getty ImagesSergii Koretskyi was confirmed as Ukraine’s new Prime Minister on Thursday as part of a government reshuffle led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.Koretskyi's appointment, backed by Zelensky's Servant of the People party, was approved by the Ukrainian parliament with 289 members voting in his favor.Outlining his “clear set of priorities,” Koretskyi said his key target is to “fully equip Ukraine’s Defense Forces and accelerate the expansion of our defense industrial base.” While emphasizing the importance of strengthening relations with international partners, Koretskyi mentioned “securing additional resources” as another goal.Ukraine’s “strategic course remains unchanged,” he said, referencing the country’s long-harbored desire to gain “full membership in the European Union.” Zelensky’s broader government reshuffle, which included the surprise move of replacing popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, is intended to strengthen Ukraine's diplomatic efforts and accelerate the implementation of agreements on military support.Ukraine is hoping to begin manufacturing Patriot missile interceptors after U.S. President Donald Trump said during the NATO summit in Turkey last week that the U.S. would extend Ukraine a license to manufacture the defensive weaponry as the country continues to defend itself against Russia.Zelensky confirmed the government's new direction over the weekend, embracing a fresh political strategy.“Each priority area of foreign policy will be assigned to a specific person with substantial experience who is capable of implementing what we agree on at the leaders’ level and what the Ukrainian people expect,” he said. “The most important of these areas include the United States and our agreements on licenses to manufacture Patriot systems.”Zelensky identified preparations for winter as another major priority, as years of Russian strikes have targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure.“Preparing for winter is an extremely important priority, and Ukraine must be ready for every threat that may arise,” he added.Outgoing Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said it had been an “honor” to serve in government, as leaders across the world welcomed Koretskyi.“We are confident that you will place Ukraine's European integration at the heart of the country’s transformation effort,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. “You can count on our full support as you advance your ambitious reform agenda.”With the world’s focus on Koretskyi as he takes on the position of Ukraine's third wartime Prime Minister, here’s what to know about the newly-appointed figure.Koretskyi built his career in Ukraine's energy industryKoretskyi has never held elected office, gaining his experience in Ukraine's energy sector.Since May 2025, he has served as CEO of Naftogaz, Ukraine's state oil and gas company, responsible for much of the country's gas production, imports, and supply.Before that, he was the director of the oil refinery operator Ukrtatnafta and Ukrnafta, Ukraine's lead oil-producing company.Earlier in his career, Koretskyi headed the Western Oil Group and served as CEO of the Continuum Group.He holds degrees in mechanical engineering and business economics from Lutsk Technical University, as well as a degree in oil and gas production from Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas.Koretskyi's record as an energy executive is widely viewed as an asset.An audit published in 2024 found that Ukrnafta generated a net profit of 23.6 billion Ukrainian hryvnia (about $529 million) under his leadership in 2023. Another notable achievement came when Ukrnafta secured an €80 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2024 to build a distributed gas-generation system, highlighting Koretskyi's ability to obtain financing.Koretskyi already has an international profileKoretskyi announced in February that Naftogaz had, for the first time, begun importing American liquefied natural gas through a terminal in Lithuania, in an effort to “increase the reliability and continuity of gas supplies to our consumers.” The move underscored Koretskyi’s attention in relation to the domestic crisis that faces Ukrainians each winter. During his tenure as CEO of the state-owned energy company, Koretskyi became a prominent public voice on the impact of Russia's attacks.Since Russia's full-scale invasion, the country's energy infrastructure has repeatedly come under attack, with the United Nations reporting that millions of Ukrainians have faced prolonged power shortages during the coldest months.Earlier this year, much of Kyiv was left without electricity as Russian strikes on power facilities caused widespread outages across the capital.“Four years of continuous attacks on energy infrastructure and daily work to ensure warmth and comfort in people’s homes. Four years of endurance and resilience of the entire country,” Koretskyi said in February, marking the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.His background is likely to prove particularly valuable as Ukraine prepares for another difficult winter.In March, Koretskyi met with a delegation from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to discuss “expanding financial instruments to increase purchases of U.S. LNG and equipment.”Three months later, Naftogaz signed an agreement with the Export-Import Bank of the United State. “The document provides for the potential mobilisation of up to USD 300 million to purchase American equipment needed to restore Ukrainian oil and gas infrastructure destroyed by Russia,” Koretskyi said. Sergii Koretskyi (L) and SA Konstantinos Xifaras (R) pose after signing deals during a ceremony between Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R back) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Athens on Nov. 16, 2025. —Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP—Getty ImagesKoretskyi is a prominent figure in Zelensky’s circleKoretskyi frequently represents Ukraine's energy sector during meetings abroad.He was part of the delegation that accompanied Zelensky to the NATO summit last week, where the Ukrainian President met with world leaders, including Trump.“Work is underway to ensure that the agreements reached during today’s meetings deliver practical results for the country,” Koretskyi said on July 9, reflecting his increasingly prominent role within Ukraine.In late June, during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland—held to discuss rebuilding and reconstruction priorities for Ukraine—Koretskyi met with world leaders and helped secure “tangible results for Naftogaz Group and Ukraine’s energy sector as a whole.”“A total of 12 agreements were signed to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience and deliver critically important projects,” he said, at the close of the conference.Koretskyi has regularly briefed Zelensky on the country's energy sector, while helping coordinate efforts to strengthen Ukraine's resilience."If we're heading into winter, we have to be ready," Zelensky said on Wednesday. "We've been preparing for it for a long time already, but the priorities are clear: Getting the country ready for winter. That's why, after all the consultations, Sergii Koretskyi is probably the best-prepared person to serve as Ukraine's Prime Minister."