Mariia Lazareva is an Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and a practitioner directly involved in Ukraine’s accession process to the European Union.

In her current role, she contributes to the coordination of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, working closely with government institutions, European Union institutions, Member States, international partners, and key stakeholders. Her responsibilities include supporting the implementation of Ukraine’s European integration agenda, facilitating dialogue with European partners, and advancing reforms necessary for alignment with the EU acquis.

Mariia serves as a coordinator within Cluster 3 “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth” of the accession negotiations framework, contributing to policy development and stakeholder engagement related to competitiveness, innovation, education, research, and economic integration. She is actively involved in communication and coordination with EU institutions, Member States, business associations, and civil society actors to support Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership.

Prior to her current position, Mariia worked in the Government Office for Coordination on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, where she focused on NATO cooperation and Euro-Atlantic integration. Throughout her career, she has been engaged in public policy, strategic communications, international cooperation, and high-level political dialogue related to Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Mariia holds a Master’s degree in International Law from the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and is currently pursuing a PhD in International Law, with research interests focused on European integration, EU enlargement, international law, and governance reforms.

As a representative of a candidate country actively negotiating accession to the European Union during wartime, Mariia brings practical experience from the frontline of the enlargement process and a unique perspective on the transformative power of EU integration for democratic resilience, institutional reform, and sustainable development.