President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Chrystia Freeland as his adviser on economic development. He said Ukraine now needs to strengthen its internal resilience both for recovery and for strengthening its defense.
Zelenskyy said Chrystia Freeland has strong expertise in economic development and extensive experience in attracting investment and carrying out economic transformations. The president added that boosting internal resilience is necessary both if diplomacy succeeds quickly and if, due to partners’ delays, Ukraine has to work longer to end the war.
He also thanked everyone who is ready to support Ukraine and cooperation with international partners.
Chrystia Freeland is a Canadian politician of Ukrainian descent and a former deputy prime minister and finance minister of Canada. She has also served as Canada’s foreign minister and minister of international trade, and previously worked as a journalist for major international media outlets. Freeland is known for her consistent support for Ukraine and a tough stance toward Russia; in 2014, Russia placed her on its sanctions list.