Zelenskyy Appoints Stefanishyna as Ukraine’s New Ambassador to the U.S.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Olha Stefanishyna as the country’s new ambassador to the United States.

The Gaze reports this, referring to Zelenskyy’s evening address.

The president said he had signed the formal decree earlier in the day. Stefanishyna, who previously served as deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, replaces Oksana Markarova, who held the post throughout Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

“The key tasks have been defined – to update the work of our embassy in Washington and implement all agreements reached with President Donald Trump, especially in the defense sector,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that Ukraine’s long-term security depends heavily on its partnership with the United States.

According to the president, Kyiv is currently advancing two major proposals with Washington: a weapons supply agreement for Ukraine and a deal on modern drones for U.S. use. “We expect rapid progress in our relations,” he said.

In addition, Zelenskyy thanked Markarova for her service and noted that she would continue to contribute to Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts in another capacity.

Born in Odesa in 1985, Stefanishyna holds degrees in international law and finance. She began her career at Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice, later leading the government office for European and Euro-Atlantic integration. 

She was appointed deputy prime minister in 2020, a position she held until July 2025, when she became the president’s special representative for cooperation with the United States.

As The Gaze reported earlier, during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the replacement of Ukrainian ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova.