Olena Zerkal
Olena Vladimirovna Zerkal
Date of Birth: June 24, 1973
Olena Vladimirovna Zerkal - former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for European Integration, former advisor to the Chairman of Naftogaz Ukraine.
Place of Birth. Education. Born on June 24, 1973, in Kyiv. In 1998, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a degree in Law. In 2008, she graduated from the Institute of International Relations at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a focus on international economic relations.
In 2003, she completed a course at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy on 'New Aspects of Security Policy'.
From 2002 to 2005, she studied at the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in the program 'Legal Studies in Ukraine: Kyiv and Individual Regions'.
She speaks English and has basic knowledge of French.
Professional Career. From January 1991 to February 1992, she was a laboratory assistant at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
From February 1992 to May 1994, she was the secretary of the General Director of Insoftech.
From May 1994 to June 2000, she was a legal advisor at ZAO 'Ukrpobuttechnika'.
From December 2001 to January 2005, she was the Deputy Director, then Director of the International Law Department of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
From January 2005 to April 2011, she was the Director of the State Department for Legislation of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
In 2005, she led the Ukrainian delegation at a conference with representatives of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland on European integration.
In 2006, she became a member of the Permanent Ukrainian-Lithuanian Commission on European Integration Issues.
From 2007 to 2013, she was a member of the Ukrainian delegation in negotiations with the European Union on the conclusion of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.
In 2008, she was a member of the Ukrainian delegation in negotiations with the European Commission for the conclusion of a framework agreement between Ukraine and the European Community on the general principles of Ukraine's participation in community programs.
In 2010, she was a member of the Ukrainian delegation in negotiations with the European Commission to amend the agreement between Ukraine and the European Community on the simplification of visa procedures.
From April 2011 to May 2013, she was the Director of the Department for Cooperation with Authorities of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
Since 2011, she has been a member of the Board of the State Service of Ukraine.
In 2012, she became a member of the Inter-ministerial Coordinating Council for the establishment of an electronic patient registry of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
Since 2012, she has been a member of the Board of the State Registration Service of Ukraine.
From 2013 to 2014, she was the Senior Manager for Corporate Relations at JSC 'Tobacco Company V.A.T. - Pryluky'.
On August 20, 2014, she was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and was considered one of the most experienced specialists in the field of European integration. She is regarded as one of the co-authors of the agreement. Olena Zerkal was involved in all rounds of the long-running negotiations, both in the political and economic parts of the Association Agreement, and represented the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in the negotiation process.
From March 6 to March 9, 2017, she led the Ukrainian delegation at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where public hearings took place in the case of Ukraine against Russia: full compensation for damages caused by attacks committed with the support of the Russian Federation (shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, shelling of civilians in Vuhlehirsk and Mariupol, shelling of civilians in Kramatorsk, bombing in Kharkiv, etc.)
On May 21, 2019, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, appointed Olena Zerkal as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. However, the decision disappeared from the president's website after midnight. According to media reports, Zerkal declined the position. President Volodymyr Zelensky issued decree No. 315/2019, which annulled the appointment of Olena Zerkal as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration.
On November 28, 2019, Olena Zerkal submitted her resignation as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for European Integration. On December 4, 2019, the government dismissed Olena Zerkal.
From January 29, 2020, to May 2021, she was an advisor to the Chairman of Naftogaz Ukraine, Andriy Kobolev.
In June 2021, Olena Zerkal was appointed as an advisor to the Minister of Energy. On September 6, 2023, the Ministry of Energy announced that Olena Zerkal was no longer serving as an advisor to the Minister of Energy.
Academic Activities. Author of the Ukrainian methodology for aligning legislation with EU standards, conducted a series of research works, comparative analysis of Ukrainian legislation and comparative legal research.