Government of Ukraine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cabinet of Ministers |
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| Overview | |
| Established | 28 June 1917 (originally) 18 April 1991 (current form) |
| State | Ukraine |
| Leader | Prime Minister |
| Appointed by | Verkhovna Rada |
| Main organ | Cabinet of Ministers |
| Ministries | 17 |
| Responsible to | President and the Verkhovna Rada |
| Headquarters | Government Building Hrushevsky Street, Kyiv |
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, often called the Government of Ukraine, is the main team that runs the country. Think of it like the principal and vice-principals who manage a school, but for a whole country! This group has the highest power to make decisions and carry out laws in Ukraine.
The Cabinet was officially formed on April 18, 1991. It works as a team, with the Prime Minister leading the group. Other important members include Vice Prime Ministers and various Ministers. These Ministers are in charge of different areas, like education, health, or finance. They all meet and vote on important decisions for the country. The Secretariat of Cabinet of Ministers helps the Cabinet run smoothly every day.
The main parts of the government are called "central offices of executive authority." These can be ministries, services, agencies, or inspections. Each one focuses on a specific job. For example, some might handle space exploration, while others manage public services.
As of July 2025, the current Cabinet of Ministers is the Svyrydenko Government. It was formed on July 17, 2025, and is led by Yulia Svyrydenko.
Contents
How the Government Works
The number of ministries in Ukraine's government has changed over time. Some ministries have been combined, while others have been turned into smaller agencies. Each ministry is responsible for many smaller government departments. These smaller departments are usually called "services," "agencies," or "inspections."
The Cabinet of Ministers works closely with the President of Ukraine. It is also accountable to the Verkhovna Rada, which is Ukraine's parliament. This means the government has to explain its actions to both the President and the elected representatives in parliament.
Talking to the Public
Sometimes, parts of the Cabinet meetings are shown live on Ukrainian TV. This helps people see what their government is doing.
Since August 2016, people in Ukraine can also send in electronic petitions to the Cabinet of Ministers. These petitions help the government understand what citizens care about. For a petition to be seriously considered, it needs to get at least 25,000 votes within three months.
Changes Over Time
The way Ukraine's government works has changed quite a bit since it became independent. In 1991, the Cabinet of Ministers was created to replace the old system. The Constitution of Ukraine was adopted in 1996, which set clear rules for how the government should operate. Before that, the government followed an older constitution.
What the Cabinet Does
The main jobs of the Cabinet of Ministers are explained in Article 116 of Ukraine's Constitution. To be a member of the government, a person must be a citizen of Ukraine, be able to vote, have a higher education, and speak Ukrainian. They also cannot have certain legal issues.
Government members cannot have other jobs that make a profit, except for teaching or doing research in their free time. If a member of parliament is chosen to join the Cabinet, they must leave their role in parliament.
The President of Ukraine or someone they choose can attend Cabinet meetings. Also, during parliament sessions, members of the Verkhovna Rada can ask questions to the entire Cabinet. This is called the "Time of questions to the Government."
Powers of the Cabinet
The Cabinet issues official decisions and orders that everyone must follow. These decisions are legally binding once they are properly registered. The Cabinet can also suggest new laws to the Verkhovna Rada. Members of the Cabinet can attend parliament meetings and join in discussions about new laws.
Every year, by September 15, the Cabinet must present a plan for the country's budget to the Verkhovna Rada. This plan shows how the government expects to spend money.
For Cabinet meetings to be official, more than half of the members must be there. The Prime Minister usually leads these meetings. If the Prime Minister is not there, the First Vice Prime Minister takes charge. Decisions are made when most of the Cabinet members vote for them. If there's a tie, the Prime Minister's vote counts as the deciding one.
The President of Ukraine appoints the leaders of regional governments. These appointments are suggested by the Cabinet of Ministers.
How Members Are Chosen
The Verkhovna Rada has five days to approve the Prime Minister after the President suggests a candidate. To approve or remove any government minister, a vote in parliament is needed. The President or one-third of the parliament members can ask for a vote to show they don't trust the government. However, this can only happen once during a parliament session.
If the Prime Minister resigns, the entire Cabinet must also resign. But a Cabinet cannot be dismissed within its first year of being approved. If a Cabinet resigns, the President can ask them to continue working for up to 60 days until a new Cabinet is formed.
The parliament decides who will be in the Cabinet, based on suggestions from the Prime Minister. However, the President suggests candidates for the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Changes in 2004
In 2004, some important changes were made to Ukraine's Constitution. These changes affected how the government was formed. For example, they said that a governing team in parliament needed to be made up of political groups, not just individual members.
Later, in 2010, a court said these 2004 changes were not legal. But then, in 2014, the parliament passed a law that brought back the 2004 changes to the constitution.
Other Important Government Agencies
Besides the main ministries, there are other important government agencies.
Agencies Connected to the President
- Anti-Monopoly Committee: Makes sure businesses compete fairly.
- State Property Fund: Manages government-owned property.
- State Committee for Television and Radio-broadcasting: Oversees TV and radio.
- National Agency on Corruption Prevention: Works to prevent corruption.
- National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service: Manages government employees.
- State Space Agency: Handles space-related activities.
Separate Central Agencies
- Central Election Commission: Organizes elections.
- National Bank: Manages the country's money.
Regulatory Commissions
These commissions set rules for different industries:
- Energy and Public Utilities
- Communication and Informatization
- Financial Services Markets
- Securities and Stock Market
Advisory Groups
- Reform Delivery Office: Helps with government reforms.
Government News Outlets
The government has its own ways of sharing news:
- Uryadovy Kuryer (Government Courier): A newspaper.
- Ukrinform: A national news agency.
Past Governments
Ukraine has had different types of governments throughout its history:
- Council of People's Commissars (1919–1946)
- Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR (1946–1991)
Other Historical Governments
- General Secretariat (1917–1918): An early government formed by the Central Council of Ukraine.
- People's Secretariat (1917–1918): Another government formed around the same time.
- Council of People's Ministers (1918–1921): The independent government of the Ukrainian People's Republic.
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See also
In Spanish: Consejo de Ministros de Ucrania para niños
