He was the First Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister from 2002 to 2005 and again from 2006 to 2007.
Azarov also served ex officio as an acting Prime Minister in the First Yanukovych Government when Viktor Yanukovych ran for president at first and then upon resignation of his government.
Following the victory of Viktor Yanukovych in the 2010 presidential election, Azarov succeeded Yanukovych as leader of the Party of Regions, and was appointed as Prime Minister in March 2010.
In Janiary 2014, after weeks of Euromaidan protests and the 2014 Hrushevskoho Street riots, Azarov offered his letter of resignation.
Since July 2014, Azarov has been on the international wanted list for alleged abuse of power.
On 19 January 2015 Kiev District Court of Pechersk Raion issued an arrest warrant as a preventive measure to allow for extradition of Azarov from the Russian Federation..
Azarov is currently the subject of international sanctions from the U.S., European Union, Norway, Canada, and Switzerland due to his role in the Ukraine crisis.
In 2015, he set up a government in exile that was widely seen as a pro-Russian puppet.