The headlines shout „government falls in Ukraine“, but the truth is quieter and more significant: Volodymyr Zelensky has reshuffled the government for the fourth time since the start of the war, and Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is leaving - but not into the ditch, into a new post.

Svyrydenko was appointed prime minister last July, at just 39, after playing a key role in the minerals deal between Ukraine and the US. Now, after just one year, she is stepping down from the premiership, and Zelensky has offered her the chance to lead a „new, important area“ in Ukraine's relations with a key international partner.

Zelensky said that „Ukraine is changing its political strategy“ and that each priority foreign direction will be led by an experienced person capable of carrying out the deals reached at the highest level. It sounds strategic. But when a government is reshuffled for the fourth time in less than four years of war, the question imposes itself - is this a sign of adaptation or of instability?

The proposal for a new prime minister has not yet been submitted to the Ukrainian parliament, nor is it known who the successor will be. Details on the new composition and priorities are expected in the coming days.

For the Balkans, which know both wars and frequent changes of power well, this story has a familiar taste. When a state is under pressure from outside, frequent reshuffling of people in posts can mean both an attempt at efficiency and an attempt to show movement when real solutions are lacking. Which of the two is the case in Kyiv, time will tell - but reform by changing names is rarely enough if the problems stay the same.