KIEV, December 2 (Sputnik) – The parliament of Ukraine voted to keep Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak at their posts Tuesday.
With at least 226 "yes" votes required, Klymkin garnered 351 parliamentary votes in support, and Poltorak – 347 votes.
Later in the day, the parliament is to vote on the rest of the cabinet.
2 December 2014, 12:14 GMT
Poltorak took after Valery Geletey as the minister of defense in October this year. He served as a commander of the interior troops of Ukraine and of the country's National Guard.
Klimkin has been the minister of foreign affairs since June this year and has served at the country's Foreign Ministry since 1993. He has been in charge of the European integration issues from 2008 and was the chief of the negotiation group drafting the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.
Under the Ukrainian constitution, the defense minister and the foreign minister are nominated by the president and approved by the parliament. Other ministers are appointed upon the premier's recommendation.
