Twenty-five Ukrainian professionals with international experience have returned to Ukraine to work in key state institutions as part of Create Ukraine 2.0, a programme initiated and supported by Lithuania. The participants joined six ministries, as well as the Offices of the President, Prime Minister and the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Create Ukraine 2.0 marks the scaling-up of a successful pilot phase, launched in 2024. During the first year, ten participants delivered more than 30 concrete reform and development projects, including contributions to the European integration, the Minerals Agreement with USA, and investment attraction initiatives. Building on these results, the programme continues in 2026 thanks to Lithuania’s sustained political and financial support.
“Human capital is a cornerstone of Ukraine’s recovery. We believe that Ukraine’s European future will be shaped by highly educated, internationally experienced professionals who choose to return and contribute to the country’s transformation. While Lithuania’s broader support remains practical and unwavering – supporting education recovery, strengthening rehabilitation systems for Ukraine’s defenders, building resilient energy infrastructure, and reinforcing state institutions – “Create Ukraine” is unique in offering a structured pathway for the return of young, motivated professionals,” said Darius Skusevičius, Ambassador-at-Large for the Coordination of Ukraine’s Recovery and Reconstruction, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.
The programme is implemented by the Central Project Management Agency in close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.
“We already see the effectiveness of the first Create Ukraine cohort — their projects have become part of the changes taking place in Ukraine. I am confident that the 25 new participants will maintain this high standard.
Being Ukrainian is not only about a passport; it is also about responsibility. Acting when your country needs you. I thank each of you for your choice and your sense of responsibility. You are part of the changes that begin with personal decisions. The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine is ready to be your partner in this transformation”, said Tetiana Berezhna, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine.
Create Ukraine has been modelled after Lithuania’s own Create Lithuania programme, launched in 2012 that became a cornerstone of Lithuania’s upgrade of public service by bringing professionals from abroad with international education and experience.
Participants of the second cohort have returned to Ukraine from Europe, North America, Asia and the Southern Hemisphere: from Italy, Japan and the United States to Morocco and New Zealand. Despite ongoing Russia’s war in Ukraine they are ready to bring experience from international companies, foreign public administrations and EU institutions and work on Ukraine’s recovery and Euro integration.
During the official launch of the second phase, participants met with ministers and heads of institutions, who outlined the key challenges and priorities to be addressed over the next 12 months.
The institutions joined by the participants are: the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Oleksiy Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine said: “The first cohort demonstrated that the program works: professionals quickly integrated into government teams, strengthened internal processes, and delivered tangible results in reform areas that are priorities for the ministry. Today, we welcome the second wave, and for our ministry this once again reflects trust and strong motivation – nine out of the 25 participants have chosen to work specifically with our Ministry. This is a strong reinforcement in a year when we need speed, discipline, and the courage to make decisions”.
For reference
Create Ukraine is a programme launched in 2024 on the initiative of Lithuania, with the support of the European Union, to attract Ukrainians with international experience to Ukraine’s public sector. It provides a practical mechanism for young professionals to return and contribute to reforms linked to European integration and recovery.
During the pilot phase, ten specialists implemented over 30 projects in investment promotion, SME development, labour market reform, European integration, scaling government initiatives and transparent public communication.
The second phase of Create Ukraine is funded by the Lithuanian Fund for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, reaffirming Lithuania’s long-term commitment to Ukraine’s recovery through human capital investments and institutional capacity-building.
