Zelenskiy appoints Umerov to lead Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

KYIV, UKRAINE — President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has appointed Ukraine’s chief peace negotiator, Rustem Umerov, to lead the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service while retaining his diplomatic responsibilities.

The appointment was formalized through presidential decree No. 695/2026 on August 3. A separate decree removed Umerov from his previous position as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, while former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko was appointed to replace him.

Reuters described the move as the latest stage of a broader leadership reshuffle that has affected Ukraine’s cabinet, defence establishment and senior military command. Zelenskiy said Umerov would continue coordinating negotiations intended to end the war with Russia, despite taking charge of the foreign intelligence service.

Appointment formalized through presidential decrees

The Ukrainian presidency issued four related decrees on August 3 covering the transition at the Foreign Intelligence Service and the National Security and Defence Council.

Decree No. 695/2026 appointed Umerov as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service. Decree No. 693/2026 removed him as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, while decree No. 694/2026 appointed Klymenko to that position. Another decree ended the temporary leadership arrangement at the intelligence service.

The decrees did not provide a detailed public timetable for institutional changes inside the intelligence agency or specify the operational priorities Umerov will pursue in his new role.

The Foreign Intelligence Service is responsible for collecting and analysing information outside Ukraine that affects the country’s security, defence and strategic interests. Umerov’s appointment places a senior official with experience in defence management and international negotiations at the centre of that work.

Umerov will continue leading peace negotiations

Zelenskiy said the appointment was intended to give Umerov greater capacity to work at the intersection of diplomacy and defence.

Speaking to the heads of Ukraine’s foreign diplomatic missions, the president said Umerov would remain responsible for negotiations with the United States and other designated partners, as well as talks aimed at ending the war.

Reuters reported that Umerov has led Ukraine’s delegation in several rounds of negotiations. Those discussions have so far produced limited tangible progress toward a comprehensive settlement, although diplomatic contacts have continued alongside the fighting.

The Ukrainian presidency has not announced a replacement chief negotiator or indicated that the structure of the negotiating delegation will change. Umerov is therefore expected to combine responsibility for foreign intelligence with his existing diplomatic portfolio.

The arrangement may give him more direct access to strategic intelligence used in negotiations. However, officials have not explained publicly how the intelligence service’s classified operational responsibilities will be separated from Umerov’s more visible diplomatic role.

Ihor Klymenko takes over the Security Council

Former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko has been appointed secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council.

Zelenskiy said Klymenko had extensive experience coordinating the security sector and managing resilience measures during the previous winter. The president said the council would become more closely involved in government preparations for the coming cold season.

The council plays a central coordinating role across national security, defence policy, sanctions, energy resilience and strategic planning. Its decisions can bring together the presidency, cabinet, military leadership and intelligence agencies around shared priorities.

Klymenko had previously been mentioned as a possible candidate for defence minister during the July government changes, Reuters reported. His appointment to the Security Council keeps him in a senior position within Ukraine’s security leadership.

The presidency has not yet published a detailed programme defining Klymenko’s priorities or identifying possible structural changes within the council.

Reshuffle follows public criticism and protests

Umerov’s appointment comes after a wider reshuffle that began in July and included the removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Fedorov, who was associated with the expansion of Ukraine’s high-technology and drone warfare capabilities, retained strong support among sections of the public and military community. His dismissal triggered criticism and demonstrations demanding his return to office.

Reuters reported that Zelenskiy subsequently replaced senior military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi amid public pressure. Critics have accused the president of moving a relatively small circle of officials between leading government and security positions without sufficiently explaining the reasoning behind the changes.

Zelenskiy has said the wider reorganization is intended to improve Ukraine’s readiness for another difficult winter, when Russia is expected to intensify attacks against the country’s energy system and critical infrastructure.

The latest appointment provides Umerov with a senior post while preserving his role in peace diplomacy, but it does not end the debate over the transparency and strategic purpose of the government changes.

Drone and defence agreements remain in Umerov’s portfolio

Umerov will also continue coordinating Ukraine’s international “Drone Deals,” which combine the country’s wartime technology with the defence requirements of partner states.

According to Zelenskiy, the agreements are intended to support joint production, exports of battle-tested Ukrainian systems and long-term investment in the country’s defence industry. The president said agreements had already been concluded with nine countries, with another 15 under preparation.

Ukraine describes the programme as broader than the sale of individual unmanned systems. Ukrainian specialists assess partner countries’ air-defence, border-security and infrastructure-protection requirements before proposing longer-term cooperation.

Zelenskiy instructed Ukrainian embassies to support Umerov’s work by maintaining contact with participating governments and countries interested in joining the programme.

Reuters also noted that Umerov has overseen negotiations promoting Ukraine’s battlefield-tested drone technology to allied countries. His new intelligence role could strengthen coordination between technological cooperation, security assessments and diplomatic negotiations.

Umerov brings defence and negotiating experience

Umerov served as Ukraine’s defence minister from 2023 until 2025 before moving to the National Security and Defence Council and becoming one of Kyiv’s leading negotiators.

His responsibilities have included talks with international partners, discussions about ending the war, security cooperation and agreements involving Ukraine’s defence technology.

As foreign intelligence chief, Umerov will be expected to oversee strategic intelligence collection on Russia and other external threats while strengthening cooperation with allied intelligence services.

The presidency has not disclosed whether the intelligence service will undergo leadership, organizational or operational changes under Umerov. It has also not specified whether his negotiating duties will be reviewed if future peace talks become more intensive.

The impact of the appointment will therefore depend on how Umerov manages two demanding portfolios: leading an intelligence institution operating under wartime conditions and remaining the public face of Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

WiseNewsPress.com