Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held interviews with candidates for the posts of regional administration heads on Sunday, he wrote on his Telegram channel.
“The conversations were thorough. I am grateful to everyone who is ready to take responsibility for the situation in the region and serve our state and people. Appointments will be made in the near future for the Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi regions. I would like to thank the leaders who have served in these positions. The names of the new leaders will be announced after the formal procedures for preparing the appointments are completed,” the president said.
He noted that the key task of the leaders will be to strengthen local self-government, community resilience, and the ability of regions to protect lives and help communities in need. “Each of our regions, all our cities and communities must stand shoulder to shoulder in defending all of Ukraine,” Zelensky added.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky offered the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Kirill Budanov, to head the Office of the President.
“I met with Kirill Budanov and offered him to head the Office of the President of Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine needs to focus more on security issues, developing Ukraine’s defense and security forces, and the diplomatic track in negotiations, and the Office of the President will serve to fulfill these tasks of our state first and foremost,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Friday.
According to the president, Budanov has special experience in these areas and sufficient power to achieve results.
In addition, Zelensky instructed the new head of the Office of the President, in cooperation with NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov and other necessary leaders and institutions, to update and submit for approval the strategic principles of Ukraine’s defense and development and further steps.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he is asking the US and Europe to ensure security for the elections, after which Ukraine will be ready to hold them in the next 60-90 days.
“Not only that, I am now asking, and I am stating this openly, for the US to help me, possibly together with European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections. Then, in the next 60-90 days, Ukraine will be ready to hold elections. I personally have the will and readiness to do so,” Zelensky told reporters on Tuesday.
At the same time, the president noted that the issue of elections in Ukraine depends primarily on Ukrainians, not on the people of other countries.
He stressed that he is ready for the elections, but explained that security and a legislative basis for their legitimacy are necessary for the elections to be held.
“Further, since this is how things have turned out, I ask that the deputies of our faction, in principle, our parliamentarians, prepare legislative proposals on the possibility of changing the legislative framework and the law on elections during martial law,” Zelensky added.
According to him, he is waiting for proposals from partners and deputies and is ready to go to the polls.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “a weak Russia and a defeated Russia are not beneficial,” so he believes that China is not seeking an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war.
“Of course, China is a strong country with a strong economy, and most importantly in our case, it has influence over Russia, personally over Putin. But with all due respect to the Chinese people, their history, and their culture, we must honestly say that I don’t see how ending this war would benefit China. Why? Because, I think we have read… the new US (security) doctrine… These are two great powers, great economies, and this is a great confrontation. This does not mean that it is a war, it may be any diplomatic or economic confrontation – this is happening. And today, a weak Russia and a defeated Russia in this format is not beneficial to China.
And because of this, honestly, the Ukrainian people are suffering,“ Zelensky said, responding to a question from journalists on WhatsApp on Monday.
Zelensky added that if ”it is not beneficial for China to stop Russia, it means that the war will continue.”
“This does not mean that China directly supports Russia with weapons, but it certainly does not support stopping this war. That is final. Plus, there are various reports from our intelligence services about the supply of machine tools and other items from China to Russia, but I have not been informed of any direct supplies of weapons,” Zelensky said.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the appointment of Oksana Markarova as presidential advisor on Ukraine’s recovery and investment.
“Starting today, Oksana Markarova will continue to assist our state as my advisor on Ukraine’s recovery and investment. We will definitely protect our independence and Ukraine’s right to be a sovereign European state. We have been ensuring Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and, on a daily basis, to resist full-scale Russian aggression for almost four years. Despite all the difficulties, we are providing Ukraine with the necessary weapons, air defense systems, and sufficient resources for internal stability,” he wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky noted that Markarova’s appointment will contribute to the realization of the long-term goal of the country’s recovery and economic development.
“In addition to the fundamental goal of protecting Ukraine’s independence and working daily for its survival, we have a long-term goal: to ensure that Ukraine can rebuild after the hostilities and resume normal economic development. This is a task for the
Ukrainian government, all our institutions, and Ukrainian business, and I believe that everyone who can help Ukraine in this should do so,” he said.
The relevant decree of the President of Ukraine No. 872/2025 on the appointment of Markarova as advisor to the President of Ukraine on the restoration of Ukraine and investments was published on the website of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
The website states that Oksana Markarova recently completed her term as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States (2021-2025) and representative of Ukraine to the Organization of American States.
“She has significant experience in public finance and private capital management, as well as in attracting investment. While working in senior positions at the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, Oksana Markarova created the government agency UkraineInvest and the Startup Support Fund,” the statement added.
It is noted that the advisor will advise the president on issues related to improving the business climate, strengthening the financial stability of the state, attracting investment, and planning recovery together with Ukraine’s strategic partners.
French President Emmanuel Macron will receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on December 1, according to BFMTV.
“Just two weeks after his last visit to Paris, Volodymyr Zelensky will be received by Emmanuel Macron in the French capital this Monday, December 1, 2025,” BFMTV was told at the Élysée Palace on Saturday, November 29.
The two leaders are expected to discuss, in particular, “the conditions for a just and lasting peace, in accordance with the Geneva talks” and the American “peace plan,” the French presidency said.
