KYIV – Earlier this month, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy unexpectedly fired two-thirds of the Ukrainian government and the country’s prosecutor general.

Both domestic and foreign observers agree that the changes of senior officials were rash and mishandled from a PR point of view. But they remain divided on what was behind them. Do they reflect the impulsiveness and inexperience of a political newcomer determined to achieve prompt results? Or do they signify a capitulation to the forces from the past, a new Faustian deal with a reshuffled pack of hegemonic oligarchs?

Meanwhile, other critical questions have been re-opened alongside these concerning how the Zelenskyy administration is handling its approach towards Russia and the war in the Donbas.