Only 35 years old with just three months of experience in government, Oleksiy Goncharuk has become Ukraine's youngest ever prime minister amid a stalling economy and war in the east.
Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelensky, 41, himself a political novice and a popular comedian before winning April's election, nominated Goncharuk on Thursday after weeks of consultations.
Goncharuk replaces Volodymyr Groysman, 41, who offered his resignation after Zelensky was inaugurated.
The young lawyer is little known to the public and has given few interviews. A source in the president's office told AFP he prefers to "quietly do his job".
The appointment is in line with Zelensky's vow to bring in fresh faces and shake up Ukraine's stagnant politics.
Goncharuk's candidacy was quickly approved by MPs as Zelensky's new "Servant of the People" party holds a majority after parliamentary polls last month.
Goncharuk, who studied law and public administration before co-founding a law firm at the age of 24, is considered a supporter of liberal economic reforms.
Others in politics have described him as a "team player" and "workaholic".
Before becoming deputy head of the president's office when Zelensky came to power, he managed for several years an EU-funded NGO that works to improve the business environment in Ukraine.
- Shadow PM -
Analysts say it is unlikely he will be able to steer government policy and will remain largely in the shadow of the presidency.
"Goncharuk cannot be an independent prime minister, even if he wanted to," analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told AFP.
A high-ranking source who has previously worked with Goncharuk described the experience as "moderately positive".
The source said Goncharuk had a "well structured" vision and is adept "at setting priorities that can achieve results".
But in government the best he can hope to do is play a "positive technical role" with the support of the president's office, the source said.
In rare interviews, Goncharuk has pleaded for continued cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), calling it "crucial" for Ukraine.
The country is looking to work with the lender for the next three to four years, he told Novoe Vremya magazine, with hopes this would help Ukraine become "an Eastern European tiger".
Goncharuk also supports revoking a ban on the sale of fertile agricultural land -- a decision much awaited by Western investors and creditors, but to which the vast majority of Ukrainians are opposed.
Oleksandr Parashchiy, head of analytics at investment bank Concorde Capital, said the main challenge for the new government is "not to disappoint people's expectations, which will be difficult."
"The main thing that is expected is economic reforms and the fight against corruption," Parashchiy said.
Goncharuk himself seems upbeat about the country's outlook.
"Soon positive changes will accelerate significantly," he wrote on his Facebook page after meeting World Bank president David Malpass in Ukraine last week.
"Everything will be fine. Stay tuned!" he captioned a picture.
Only 35 years old with just three months of experience in government, Oleksiy Goncharuk has become Ukraine’s youngest ever prime minister amid a stalling economy and war in the east.
Ukraine’s new president, Volodymyr Zelensky, 41, himself a political novice and a popular comedian before winning April’s election, nominated Goncharuk on Thursday after weeks of consultations.
Goncharuk replaces Volodymyr Groysman, 41, who offered his resignation after Zelensky was inaugurated.
The young lawyer is little known to the public and has given few interviews. A source in the president’s office told AFP he prefers to “quietly do his job”.
The appointment is in line with Zelensky’s vow to bring in fresh faces and shake up Ukraine’s stagnant politics.
Goncharuk’s candidacy was quickly approved by MPs as Zelensky’s new “Servant of the People” party holds a majority after parliamentary polls last month.
Goncharuk, who studied law and public administration before co-founding a law firm at the age of 24, is considered a supporter of liberal economic reforms.
Others in politics have described him as a “team player” and “workaholic”.
Before becoming deputy head of the president’s office when Zelensky came to power, he managed for several years an EU-funded NGO that works to improve the business environment in Ukraine.
– Shadow PM –
Analysts say it is unlikely he will be able to steer government policy and will remain largely in the shadow of the presidency.
“Goncharuk cannot be an independent prime minister, even if he wanted to,” analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told AFP.
A high-ranking source who has previously worked with Goncharuk described the experience as “moderately positive”.
The source said Goncharuk had a “well structured” vision and is adept “at setting priorities that can achieve results”.
But in government the best he can hope to do is play a “positive technical role” with the support of the president’s office, the source said.
In rare interviews, Goncharuk has pleaded for continued cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), calling it “crucial” for Ukraine.
The country is looking to work with the lender for the next three to four years, he told Novoe Vremya magazine, with hopes this would help Ukraine become “an Eastern European tiger”.
Goncharuk also supports revoking a ban on the sale of fertile agricultural land — a decision much awaited by Western investors and creditors, but to which the vast majority of Ukrainians are opposed.
Oleksandr Parashchiy, head of analytics at investment bank Concorde Capital, said the main challenge for the new government is “not to disappoint people’s expectations, which will be difficult.”
“The main thing that is expected is economic reforms and the fight against corruption,” Parashchiy said.
Goncharuk himself seems upbeat about the country’s outlook.
“Soon positive changes will accelerate significantly,” he wrote on his Facebook page after meeting World Bank president David Malpass in Ukraine last week.
“Everything will be fine. Stay tuned!” he captioned a picture.
