President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed former Canadian deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland as an advisor on economic development, adding an internationally experienced figure to his team as Ukraine recalibrates its government to meet the dual pressures of war and long-term recovery.
The appointment was announced by Volodymyr Zelensky on social media, where he framed the move as part of a broader effort to strengthen Ukraine’s internal resilience amid uncertainty over the pace of diplomacy and continued delays in external support.
“Chrystia is highly skilled in these matters and has extensive experience in attracting investment and implementing economic transformations,” Zelensky wrote. He said Ukraine must be prepared both for rapid recovery if negotiations yield results and for prolonged resistance if the war continues.
A high-profile economic appointment
Freeland’s role will focus on economic development at a time when Ukraine faces enormous reconstruction needs alongside the demands of a wartime economy. Zelensky emphasized that the appointment is meant to deepen engagement with international partners and mobilize investment critical to sustaining the state.
He thanked those “ready to support our state and our engagement with partners,” underscoring that economic policy is now inseparable from Ukraine’s security strategy.
Freeland’s background and Ukraine ties
Freeland, a former journalist and long-serving Canadian lawmaker, was a central figure in Ottawa’s economic and foreign policy for nearly a decade. She served as Canada’s minister of international trade, foreign minister, finance minister and deputy prime minister, and played a key role in negotiating major trade agreements with both Europe and the United States.
She has also been one of Ukraine’s most visible advocates among Western officials since Russia’s full-scale invasion, repeatedly backing sanctions against Moscow and financial assistance to Kyiv. After leaving Canada’s cabinet, Freeland was appointed special representative for the reconstruction of Ukraine, a role that positioned her at the intersection of international finance, diplomacy and postwar planning.
Her appointment as Zelensky’s advisor brings that experience directly into Ukraine’s presidential orbit.
Government reshuffle gains momentum
Freeland’s appointment comes amid a wider restructuring of how Zelensky’s administration operates. Earlier, the president named intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as his new chief of staff, elevating a secretive but highly influential figure credited with some of Ukraine’s most audacious operations against Russian forces.
Budanov, who has led Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, said after accepting the role that the team would continue working “to defeat the enemy, defend Ukraine and achieve a just peace.” Zelensky’s move places a seasoned security operative at the center of presidential decision-making.
Defense ministry overhaul
At the same time, Zelensky has proposed that Vice Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov take over as minister of defense. In announcing the plan, the president cited Fedorov’s role in advancing drone programs and digitalizing state systems, arguing that technological efficiency is now critical to defense reform.
“Together with all our military, the army command, national weapons producers and Ukraine’s partners, we must implement changes in the defense sector that will be effective,” Zelensky said, adding that Fedorov could deliver those reforms.
Current Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal is expected to remain in government in another capacity, with officials signaling a possible return to the energy sector.
Balancing war and recovery
Taken together, the appointments highlight Zelensky’s effort to align economic policy, security leadership and technological modernization under the pressures of war. By bringing in Freeland, a figure with deep experience in Western finance and trade, while reshaping the defense and presidential teams around Budanov and Fedorov, Kyiv is signaling that resilience now means preparing simultaneously for continued fighting and eventual reconstruction.