Yulia Svyrydenko was made Ukraine's new prime minister and Olga Stefanishyna got the plum role of U.S. ambassador (after Republican resistance in Washington helped push out her predecessor), while many of their colleagues were reassigned to new posts as the national parliament voted through the changes Thursday afternoon.

Only tough pressure can force the Kremlin to make concessions. And the American president, Donald Trump, is capable of this, states Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the New York Post.

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly said during his campaign he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine "in 24 hours" upon taking office.