Olena Volodymyrivna Zerkal – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for European Integration (2014 – 2019), Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine (2020).
Place of Birth, Education
She was born on June 24, 1973 in the city of Kyiv.
In 1998, she completed her studies at the Faculty of Law of Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, having received a degree in Jurisprudence.
In 2008, she received her second higher education at the Institute of International Relations at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, majoring in International Economic Relations. In 2002 – 2005 she studied under the program “Legal Studies in Ukraine: Kyiv and Certain Regions”.
Also in 2003, she took the course “New Aspects of Security Policy” at the Geneva Center for Security Policy.
Career
In the period from January 1991 to February 1992, she worked as a laboratory assistant at Taras Shevchenko Kyiv State University.
From February 1992 to May 1994, she served as Secretary to the General Director of Insofttech. After that, she went to work at the closed joint stock company (CJSC) “Ukrpobuttechnika”, where she worked as a legal adviser until June 2000.
From December 2001 to January 2005, she held the positions of Deputy Director, and later – Director of the Department of International Law of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. In January 2005, she headed the State Department for Adaptation of Legislation under the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, where she worked until April 2011.
In 2005, she led the Ukrainian delegation to the conference on European integration with the participation of representatives of the Ministries of Justice of Ukraine and Poland.
In 2006, she was a member of the Permanent Ukrainian-Lithuanian Commission, which dealt with European integration issues.
During 2007 – 2013, she was a member of the Ukrainian delegation that participated in negotiations with the European Union (EU) on the conclusion of the Association Agreement, and in 2008 she participated in negotiations with the European Commission on the Framework Agreement on the general principles of Ukraine’s participation in Community programs.
In 2010, she became a member of the Ukrainian delegation that negotiated with the European Commission on amendments to the Visa Facilitation Agreement between Ukraine and the EU.
In the period from April 2011 to May 2013, she headed the Department of Interaction with Authorities of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. Since the same year, she has been a member of the board of the State Executive Service of Ukraine.
In 2012, she became a member of the Interdepartmental Coordination Council under the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ukraine on the construction of an electronic register of patients of the Ministry of Health.
In 2013 – 2014, she worked as a senior corporate relations manager at CJSC A/T Tobacco Company V.A.T. – Pryluky.
Work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On August 20, 2014, she was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
From March 6 to March 9, 2017, she headed the Ukrainian delegation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague during public hearings in the case of Ukraine against the Russian Federation (RF). They discussed demands for full compensation for damage caused by terrorist attacks committed with the support of the Russian Federation, in particular, the destruction of flight MH17, shelling of civilians in Volnovakha, Mariupol, Kramatorsk, as well as the terrorist attack in Kharkiv.
On May 21, 2019, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree appointing Zerkal as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. However, after midnight, this document was removed from the website of the head of state. According to media reports, Zerkal decided to refuse the proposed position. Subsequently, Zelensky signed decree No. 315/2019, by which he officially canceled her appointment.
On November 28 of the same year, Zerkal resigned from the post of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for European Integration. On December 4, the Cabinet of Ministers granted her resignation.
Work after resignation from the civil service
From January 29, 2020 to May 2021, she served as an advisor to the Chairman of the Board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolev.
In June 2021, she joined the Ministry of Energy as an advisor. On September 6, 2023, the Ministry of Energy announced that Zerkal no longer holds this position.
Marital Status
He has two sons.
