Zelenskyy appoints former US envoy Markarova as adviser for Ukraine’s reconstruction and investment drive

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday that Oksana Markarova will take up the newly created post of adviser on rebuilding and investments. “Starting today, Oksana Markarova will continue supporting our state as my Advisor on Rebuilding and Investments,” he wrote on X.

Starting today, Oksana Markarova will continue supporting our state as my Advisor on Rebuilding and Investments. We will certainly defend our independence and Ukraine’s right to be a sovereign European state. We are ensuring Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and, for almost four…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 30, 2025

Zelenskyy underlined that despite the ongoing war and the daily challenge of ensuring Ukraine’s survival, the country must also prepare for what comes next. “Beyond the fundamental goal of defending our independence and the daily work to ensure Ukraine’s survival, we have a long-term objective: to give Ukraine the capacity to rebuild after the fighting and restore normal economic development,” he said.

Markarova, a seasoned economist and diplomat brings to the role substantial experience. She served as Ukraine’s Finance Minister from 2018 to 2020 and later was Ambassador to the United States from February 2021 until August 2025.

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During her tenure in the Finance Ministry, she was involved in designing macroeconomic reforms, championing fiscal consolidation, and instituting transparent public-finance mechanisms. She also played a key role in establishing investment-promotion institutions such as the government’s investment promotion agency, and a startup fund for businesses, efforts credited with helping improve foreign investor confidence even before the war.

In her diplomatic role in Washington, Markarova worked to strengthen Ukraine’s ties with the United States, support aid and investment flows, and advocate Ukraine’s interests abroad. Observers say her diplomatic network and economic policy expertise could prove critical in the daunting task of post-war reconstruction.

With the appointment, Zelenskyy aims to signal that Kyiv is already planning beyond defence, gearing up for reconstruction, economic stabilisation and long-term recovery. Analysts say the choice reflects a recognition that rebuilding Ukraine, physically, economically and institutionally will require both domestic reforms and international support.