Budanov has come under quiet scrutiny from Ukraine’s western partners, who warned the intel chief off especially brazen plans for fear they'd escalate the war. This choice might make some partners nervous. But the CIA will likely be pleased, since it has enjoyed a close relationship with Budanov.

...But the head of the president’s office — a key role in Ukraine’s opaque politics, despite technically being an administrative post — is traditionally a lightning rod for criticism. So this role could potentially tarnish his image. Or not.

Polls regularly name Budanov as one of the country’s most popular political figures, leading to speculation that he could be one of the chief opponents of the president in future elections....

People familiar with the president’s decision said that he had pressed Budanov to accept the role over the course of the past month, and that the intelligence chief — who still prefers field work to office work — had been hesitant at first.
www.ft.com/content/7314...

Budanov's appointment comes as Ukrainian negotiators push to secure security guarantees from western allies as part of a renewed diplomatic effort to end the war with Russia. Budanov, seen as one of few Ukrainian officials to keep an open line with Moscow, could be a valuable asset as peace talks.

“I told [Trump] we would really like to consider the possibility of a 30, 40, 50 years [guarantee]” the Ukrainian president said, adding that Trump “said he would think about it”. as.ft.com/r/1c5be28f-d...

Zelenskyy: “Today, we heard signals from Moscow that they are preparing next year as a year of war. And these signals are not just for us. It’s important our partners see this [and] react to it, especially our partners in the United States, who often say that Russia supposedly wants to end the war."