Yulia Svyrydenko

Early life Yulia Anatoliivna Svyrydenko was born on 25 December 1985 in Chernihiv, then part of the Soviet Union.

In 2011, Svyrydenko became a Permanent Representative of Chernihiv in the city of Wuxi, the only representative office of a Ukrainian city in China.

From 30 July to 28 November 2018, she served as acting Governor (head of the regional state administration) of the Chernihiv Oblast.

On 4 November 2021, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's national parliament) appointed Svyrydenko as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Trade. 256 MPs voted for her appointment.

In August 2022, the Shmyhal Government authorised Svyrydenko to head the Interagency Working Group on the Implementation of the State Sanctions Policy. She negotiated with other countries to strengthen sanctions against Russia, in particular with representatives of the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister of Ukraine (2025–2026)

On 14 July 2025, President Zelenskyy announced a government reshuffle and nominated Svyrydenko as Prime Minister of Ukraine. Her appointment was approved by the Verkhovna Rada on 17 July.

Controversy

In 2024, Svyrydenko reported earning UAH 3,102,506 for her work at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE). KSE president Tymofiy Mylovanov confirmed that she receives approximately $6,000 per month for her teaching duties. Mylovanov, in turn, is a member of the supervisory board of NNEGC Energoatom, appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers when Svyrydenko was Minister of Economy. Some media and MPs (notably Volodymyr Ariev) have raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest, pointing out that KSE-affiliated structures implemented grant programmes in which the Ministry of Economy (led by Svyrydenko) was a beneficiary.

According to an investigation piece by the Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda published in July 2024 Svyrydenko only achieved minor achievements during her time at the Economy Ministry (including small-business grant programmes and work tied to EU "Ukraine Facility" support) and on the other hand had received major criticisms from unnamed officials about project outcomes and leadership style. The same reporting described her close working relationship with the Office of the President and the first lady (Olena Zelenska) during official travel; the article presented these as part of the political context around her prospective promotion at the time. In the same article the authors claimed that mid-2024, President Zelenskyy repeatedly discussed with Svyrydenko the possibility of her succeeding Denys Shmyhal as prime minister. The outlet reported mixed views within the governing camp about her readiness to lead the cabinet, noting both supporters who emphasised her proximity to the president's office and critics who questioned whether she could command the entire system. Her hobby is playing piano.