The prime minister of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Прем'єр-міністр України, Prem'ier-ministr Ukrayiny) is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government.
Since Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, there have been 18 prime ministers.[1]
Unlike the president of Ukraine, who is directly elected by popular vote every five years, the prime minister is appointed by the president upon the ratification of the candidate by the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
Denys Shmyhal is the current prime minister of Ukraine since 4 March 2020.[2][1]
Originally a parliamentary republic without a head of state, in 1918 a post of head of state was introduced in the form of a dictatorship. For a brief period there existed a collective head of state (Directory) which was soon phased away. During the Soviet period, a post of head of state was in a shadow of the Communist Party leader (see First Secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine).
Note: Concept of "government coalition" was reverted in 2014 by reestablishment of the 2004 constitutional amendments. Before 2004 and between 2010 and 2014, government was based on "parliamentary majority".