Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday, January 5th, the official appointment of former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as his economic development advisor.
Zelenskyy emphasized that this move aims to leverage Freeland’s extensive experience in attracting international investments to pave the way for Ukraine’s post-war recovery and defense capabilities.
In a post on X platform, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine urgently needs to strengthen its “internal resilience.” He said, “This is not only to drive recovery when diplomatic means yield results quickly, but also to bolster our defense in the case of delayed partner assistance and prolonged conflict.”
This appointment comes at a crucial diplomatic moment. Zelenskyy revealed that after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Russia-Ukraine war peace agreement is “90% completed,” and both sides are actively discussing post-war reconstruction and investment documents.
Freeland, of Ukrainian descent, served as Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister from 2019 to 2024 and was the Finance Minister for an extended period. After exiting the cabinet in September 2025, she was appointed by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as the Special Representative for Canadian-Ukraine Reconstruction. Furthermore, she is currently a sitting member of the Canadian Parliament.
Freeland has long been known as a tough representative of the Western allies towards Russia. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she actively pushed for freezing Russian assets.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Carney recently met with Zelenskyy in Halifax, announcing a $25 billion loan and debt deferral program, bringing Canada’s assistance to Ukraine to a total of $220 billion.
Additionally, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka revealed that international partners have preliminarily reached a consensus to provide Ukraine with an economic support plan totaling up to $800 billion over the next decade to ensure its economic stability and long-term growth.