Valeriia Koval, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

1) What does public service mean to you? Can you share more about your role in the public sector?

For me, public service is not just a job, but a calling to create real change that improves the daily lives of millions of people.

It is a responsibility to build a modern, transparent, and efficient state where technology overcomes bureaucracy and corruption. Ensuring that services are accessible to every Ukrainian, regardless of their age or profession, gives me a clear sense of the value of my work. 

My journey in GovTech has spanned nearly 10 years, 7 of which have been dedicated to the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

I have climbed the career ladder from entry-level positions to Deputy Minister. Today, I lead the digitalisation of large-scale public services at the national level. 

This field has become an incredibly important part of my life. I am driven by the scale of the challenges and the opportunity to create products that the entire country is proud of.

For me, public service is a chance to transform the state in the best interest of its citizens. 

2) Tell us about a project you championed. What impact did it have on the community?

The project of my life has been the implementation of the Diia ecosystem, which has fundamentally transformed how citizens interact with the state.

Today, Diia is used by over 24 million people—accounting for about 77 per cent of Ukraine's adult population. We have consolidated more than 250 public services into a single portal and mobile application, making them accessible in just a few clicks. 

This project has had a massive impact on the community by eliminating lines, bureaucracy, and corruption risks.

Digitalisation has reached the most critical areas of life: from automated business registration and online driver services to processing social benefits and veteran support services.

Diia has turned the state into a convenient service that supports every Ukrainian in any life situation. 

3) As a young professional, how has your unique background or perspective allowed you to identify a solution that others in your organisation might have overlooked?

My unique experience was shaped at the intersection of wartime management and overcoming a rigid bureaucratic system.

Although digitalisation is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Digital Transformation team and all government authorities, my adaptive perspective allowed me to view state processes not as conservative dogmas, but as flexible services.

Thanks to this approach, despite several years of war, Ukraine has entered the top five global leaders in digitalisation.

Hands-on experience in coordinating processes during hostilities taught me to make split-second decisions and think outside the box. 

Where the traditional system saw only regulatory dead ends, I managed to find compromises between various ministries and stakeholders. 

By focusing on results rather than processes, I helped find solutions to launch services in record time, turning crisis into opportunities for innovation. 

4) What is your personal strategy for maintaining your creative energy when faced with bureaucracy?

My main strategy for fighting bureaucracy is focusing on the end result and on people.

When the paperwork routine starts to drain me, I step into the "real world." Nothing restores creative energy better than realising the scale of our impact.

Today, you can ask almost anyone on the street, and with nearly 100% certainty, they will have Diia on their smartphone. 

This massive positive feedback from the public is my main source of motivation.

Every day, people express gratitude that they no longer need to travel across the city, spend hours in lines, or collect piles of paperwork—now everything is resolved in just a few clicks.

Knowing that our work genuinely simplifies life for millions of Ukrainians completely neutralises all bureaucratic negativity and inspires me to keep moving forward. 

5) If you had just one area to invest in to accelerate transformation in the public sector (regulation, technology, talent, etc.), which one would you choose and why?

If I had to choose just one area, I would invest in technology for the maximum digitalization of all public services. 

My goal for the next five years is to bring absolutely every service online, wherever technically feasible and appropriate. 

Digitalisation is the most effective tool for transforming the public sector. Shifting services online allows us to radically save citizens' most valuable resource—their time.

Instead of visiting government offices, people can get the assistance they need in a matter of seconds.

Furthermore, process automation at the technological level automatically eliminates corruption risks and the human factor.

When technology becomes the foundation of interaction with the state, regulations become simpler, and citizens' quality of life reaches a completely new level. 

6) What is your greatest ambition as you grow in your public service career?

My greatest ambition is to continue the large-scale digitalisation of Ukraine and strengthen its status as a global leader and innovator in the GovTech sector.

I aim not only to improve our internal services but also to actively share Ukraine's unique experience with international colleagues, scaling our successful technological solutions to a global level. 

7) What is a “universal value” that connects everyone in your department – from interns to directors – and how do you use that to drive collaboration?

The universal value that unites everyone on our team—from interns to directors—is a deep sense of civic responsibility and the drive to support Ukraine in times of war.

We clearly understand that while our warriors hold the front line, our duty is to support the country in the social sphere. 

This shared purpose serves as a powerful driver for collaboration. We do not work for the sake of processes, but for the people who face wartime challenges every day.

Together, we build services for those who have suffered the most: technically developing assistance programs for internally displaced persons (IDPs), tools for reporting and compensating for damaged or destroyed housing, as well as essential services for our war veterans and their families.

Knowing that our cohesion directly eases the lives of millions of fellow citizens erases any hierarchical barriers and drives the team to act as a single organism.

8) What is the best piece of advice you’ve got for the next generation of public servants?

To be as open as possible to everything new and to boldly step outside conventional boundaries. Public service is no longer about templates; it requires flexibility and creativity.

Do not be afraid to break outdated stereotypes, experiment, and think outside the box to create better changes for the people. 

9) What is a myth you wish to debunk about young public servants?

The myth that young professionals are inherently inexperienced and must spend 10–15 years in the system to achieve significant results or earn a seat at the table.

This stereotype is outdated. In reality, everything depends entirely on the specific individual, their competencies, and their inner drive. 

If a young specialist truly desires change and has a clear vision, they are capable of delivering monumental results and changing the rules of the game within just six months or a year of work.

Youth brings flexibility, courage, and freedom from rigid templates, which is critical for reforms.

What matters most is a sincere desire, proactivity, and the readiness to take on responsibility, rather than the number of years spent in government offices. 

10) Write a letter to your future self in 2035. Please keep it within 200 words.

Hello in 2035! 

I am writing to you from the challenging yet historic year of 2026.

Right now, we fight for our country's future every single day, holding the digital front line and proving that nothing is impossible for Ukraine.

I hope that as you read this, you are living in a peaceful, rebuilt, and highly technological state that has become an inspiration to the entire world. 

Remember: everything is possible when there is a sincere desire and a hunger for the new. Even in the hardest of times, we found opportunities for growth, development, and large-scale reforms. Never lose this drive.

May the fire that ignited the Diia ecosystem keep burning inside you today, no matter what you are doing. 

We will definitely win, and everything will work out for us. Hold your course, stay open to the world, and never stop. I believe that you are still changing this world for the better! 

The story was made possible due a partnership with the Global GovTech Centre (GGTC) Kyiv.