Policy

Zelensky appoints commissioner for sanctions policy: what is known about Vlasiuk

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed a commissioner for sanctions policy. The relevant decree was published on the President’s website, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports

Vladislav Vlasyuk, 35, has been appointed to the post.

“To appoint Vladyslav Vlasyuk as an advisor to the Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy,” the decree says.

Prior to that, the official served as an advisor to the head of the Presidential Office.

What is known about Vladyslav Vlasiuk

According to the Chesno movement, Vladyslav Vlasiuk was born on 25 February 1989 in Vinnytsia. In 2012, he graduated from the Law Faculty of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and received a lawyer’s certificate.

In 2013-2014, he studied for a master’s degree at Queen Mary, University of London, specialising in International Investment Arbitration, Corporate Finance, International Energy Transactions, International Energy Arbitration.

In 2015-2016, he worked at the National Police of Ukraine. In 2017-2019, he was the Director General of the Directorate for Human Rights, Access to Justice and Legal Awareness of the Ministry of Justice.

In 2017, together with his twin brother Vitalii Vlasiuk, he founded the Twin Lawyers law firm. He worked there as a director and attorney-at-law.

Co-founder of a number of NGOs, including LEAD office, Office of Professional Support for Recovery, Lawyers for Ecology, StopBullying Lawyers’ Initiative, and the Association for the Development of Artificial Intelligence.

Since 2020, he has been a freelance adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine. He started working in the Office after Andriy Yermak became the head of the Office.

In September 2021 – April 2022, he worked as an advisor at the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food under Minister Roman Leshchenko, and later – Mykola Solskyi.

Since April 2022, he has been the Secretary of the International Working Group on Sanctions against Russia (the so-called Yermak-McFaul Sanctions Group), headed by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and former US Presidential Advisor Michael McFaul.

In July 2023, Vlasyuk joined the supervisory board of Sens Bank (formerly Alfa Bank) after it was nationalised and became state-owned.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk’s twin brother Vitalii Vlasiuk is also a lawyer. In 2022-2023, Vitaliy was the deputy head of the Kyiv Regional Administrative Office of Oleksiy Kuleba, who is now the deputy head of the Presidential Office. In 2023, Vitalii Vlasiuk applied for the position of NABU director, in 2022 he applied for the position of head of the ARMA, and in 2021 – for the position of head of the SAPO. Like his brother, he worked for some time at the Ministry of Justice.

Reading now

Buckwheat prices are rising: Will Ukraine have to buy Russian buckwheat from Kazakhstan?

How much longer can the Kremlin hold out? Experts outline three scenarios for ending the war

Where is the safest place to fly to for a vacation right now: how global instability is changing tourist routes

A new stage of mobilization: what changes are being prepared by the Ministry of Defense and what conscripts should expect