# Zelenskyy faces backlash for firing defence minister; Starmer visits Ukraine in final trip as UK PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed his defence minister, triggering public outrage. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made his final visit to Ukraine in his current role, underscoring continued Western support. These developments highlight political tensions within Ukraine and the ongoing international focus on the war with Russia.

**Importance:** 4/5

## Sources

### World
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jul/16/europe-ukraine-russia-zelenskyy-starmer-macron-merz-latest-news-updates) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:25:24 GMT
- [BBC World](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdx76069n3do?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:29:28 GMT
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/17/has-ukraines-zelenskyy-created-a-rival-by-sacking-his-defence-minister?traffic_source=rss) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:07:11 +0000
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/17/dismissal-ukraine-defence-minister-mykhailo-fedorov-volodomyr-zelenskyy) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:42:25 GMT