Zelenskyy taps ex-Canadian cabinet minister for economic advisory role

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed prominent Canadian politician of Ukrainian descent Chrystia Freeland as a special adviser on economic development.

In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Freeland “has professional expertise in these areas and considerable experience in attracting investment and driving economic transformation.”

The president stressed that Ukraine needs to strengthen its domestic resilience, “both to support the country’s recovery if diplomacy succeeds quickly, and to bolster our defence should delays by partners prolong the war.”

Zelenskyy also signed the official decree confirming Freeland’s appointment.

Freeland has held senior positions in the Canadian government almost continuously since 2015, when her Liberal Party came to power.

Among other roles, she became the first woman to serve as Canada’s Minister of Finance under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and later served as Deputy Prime Minister.

In September 2025, Freeland left the government to become Canada’s special representative for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

By Aghakazim Guliyev