Mykhailo Fedorov, fired as Ukraine’s defense minister, agrees to become an advisor to Italy’s Guido Crosetto, but says his focus stays on Ukraine

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has agreed to become an advisor to Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, but insists his primary focus remains on Ukraine. Fedorov met with Crosetto to express gratitude for Italy's support and for the offer to serve in the advisory role, stating, "In this role, I will assist Italy in adopting modern warfare technologies, enhancing its defense sector, and adapting to emerging global security challenges."

However, he clarified that his main priority remains the core projects in Ukraine aimed at strengthening defense and attracting international resources. Fedorov served as Ukraine's defense minister from January to July 2026, when he was fired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reportedly due to a disagreement with Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Crosetto had reached out to Fedorov shortly after his dismissal, inviting him to Rome to work as an advisor. Fedorov's popularity in a recent poll placed him third with 16% of the vote, behind Zelensky and Valery Zaluzhny.