Diia: The Digital Backbone and Everyday Tool for Ukrainians

The Ministry of Digital Transformation was launched in 2019, under the leadership of the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov — recently appointed as a First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, with an ambitious goal: to build the most convenient state in the world. We assembled Chief Digital Transformation Officers (CDTOs) across ministries and regions, a dedicated parliamentary committee and a team of engineers, designers, and policymakers who treated the government like a startup — rapid iteration, user-centered design, and agile delivery cycles. We were creating a new model of government: transparent, efficient, and user-centric. That spirit birthed Diia ecosystem — our digital infrastructure of public services and tools:

  • Diia App: 22.9+ million users, 30 digital documents, 60+ services

  • Diia Portal: 130+ public services online

  • Diia.Education: national edutainment platform for reskilling and digital literacy

  • Diia.City: special legal and tax regime for IT companies

  • Diia.Engine: low-code tool for building state registries

  • Diia.Business: one-stop shop and offline hub network for SME support

  • Diia.Digital Hromada: platform for local communities’ digitalization

From the very beginning, Ukraine’s digital transformation was never just about technology — it was about restoring trust, eliminating bureaucracy, and giving citizens back their time and dignity. Ukrainians can interact with the government as easily as ordering food or hailing a ride. We believed that digital tools could achieve what outdated bureaucratic systems never could. Today, digitalisation is part of Ukraine’s identity — it’s become pop culture. Diia is not just a name; it’s a mindset. A digital-first approach is now reshaping how citizens think, act, and interact with the state. And when the full-scale russian invasion to Ukraine began, Diia became a digital frontline and deliver public services in real time:

  • eDocument — allows those who fled without physical IDs to prove their identity digitally

  • IDP status and financial assistance — enables internally displaced persons to apply in just a few clicks

  • eRecovery — helps citizens claim compensation to repair or rebuild homes damaged by russian missile attacks

  • War Bonds — allows Ukrainians to support the military and economy directly through the app

  • eEnemy — a secure chatbot for reporting enemy positions and collaborators to the Ukrainian Armed Forces

  • Diia.TV and Diia.Radio — launched to ensure uninterrupted access to verified information during infrastructure blackouts.

Diia shows that even amid the most profound crises, a nation can lead with speed, courage, and technology. It embodies a new era of governance — human-centered, transparent, and radically efficient—replacing legacy systems with innovation by design. This is Ukraine’s blueprint for the future — and we’re just beginning to shape it.

Ukraine in Global Digital Rankings: A New Chapter in Digital Leadership

Reputation matters. Global rankings demonstrate how far we have come and attract new partners. Ukraine became the first country to introduce digital passports fully equivalent to their paper and plastic versions. Citizens can register a business online in just minutes. We also launched the world’s first fully online marriage service via the Diia app — a milestone featured by TIME magazine. Ukraine is now recognized as a European digital transformation tiger. Other highlights include:

  • E‑Government Development Index:  Ukraine ranked 5th worldwide for developing digital public services, rising 97 positions in six years. The country also ranked first in terms of E-Participation
  • Ukraine has secured the 3rd place in the annual Open Data Maturity ranking. Since 2020, the country has climbed from 17th to 3rd place in the ranking 
  • Ukraine has ranked 1 in the world for fixed internet stability in the 2024 Global Digital Quality of Life Index.

These rankings are not ends in themselves. They help attract investments, expand partnerships, boost economic growth, build trust and highlight our resilience. They also serve as a call to action: to remain competitive we must continue innovating.

A New Model: The Agentic State

At the Ministry of Digital Transformation, we are starting to lay the foundations for the Agentic State — a next-generation governance model where AI, intelligent registries, and predictive digital services enable the state to act proactively, adapt in real time, and serve citizens before they even make a request. A cornerstone of this vision is the development of Ukraine’s own national large language model (LLM), which is already underway. Ukraine has set an ambitious goal: to rank among the world’s top three countries in AI adoption and integration by 2030. Developing a national large language model (LLM) is a strategic move to position the country at the forefront of the AI-driven transformation already reshaping the global landscape. Also, we are currently working on formulating Ukraine’s National AI Strategy.

Imagine a future where the state doesn’t wait for you to apply — it proactively offers what you need. Your newborn is automatically registered. Your benefits arrive without bureaucracy. Your taxes are pre-filled and ready to approve. In the midst of war, we’re building a future-ready government designed around people, not paperwork.At the Ministry of Digital Transformation we are already looking towards this horizon. Our work on Diia is laying the foundations for AI‑powered, citizen‑centred services. AI now handles more than 52% of all Diia support requests:

  • The AI Consultant helps users access services without operator involvement. In the first month of the pilot, it resolved over 52% of all incoming requests

  • The AI Assistant supports agents by helping them craft responses. In just a few weeks, it handled 16% of operator-assigned tickets (7,993 user inquiries)

It is not about replacing humans but about shifting government towards outcomes rather than process. AI adoption is about empowering the team. We continue building the most convenient digital state and rolling out innovative services:

  • Provide personalised public services: AI agents can tailor benefits, registrations and licences to individual needs, reducing paperwork and queues.

  • Strengthen resilience: Agents that detect threats and launch machine‑speed responses will make our institutions more robust.

  • Improve transparency: Real‑time data integration and auditability can reduce corruption and foster trust.

  • Empower public servants: AI co‑pilots will handle routine tasks, enabling our teams to focus on strategy and empathy.

We shape tech with responsibility and vision. We are committed to ensuring that AI remains ethical, secure, and firmly centered on human needs. But we must approach this transformation with intention and urgency. Advancing toward AI-powered governance is not a leap of faith—it’s the natural next step after building one of the world’s most user-centric digital states. We are approaching this shift with both ambition and responsibility. Our Digital Agenda 2030 and the National AI Strategy, currently in development, will define how we navigate this transition — balancing opportunity with ethics, automation with inclusion, and innovation with trust.

We are reengineering the future of the country. One of our boldest steps is the official adoption of Ukraine's Global Innovation Strategy WINWIN by the Government of Ukraine at the end of last year. It’s more than a policy document; it’s a roadmap to prepare Ukraine’s workforce for an economic leap across 14 strategic sectors, from DefenseTech and MedTech to AI, GreenTech, Semiconductors, etc. The WINWIN Strategy outlines a clear roadmap for creating a thriving environment for businesses, startups, researchers, investors, and international partners across Ukraine’s innovation ecosystem. These efforts are vital not only for driving economic growth and post-war reconstruction, but also for safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and long-term competitiveness. By catalyzing the development of innovative products, services, and technologies, the strategy aims to position Ukraine as a regional leader and key innovation hub within the European Union. To achieve this vision, the strategy focuses on strengthening the following foundational pillars: Opening markets for priority sectors; Developing and expanding innovation infrastructure; Deregulation – creation most favorable conditions for businesses; Enhancing access to financing; Advancing human capital development; Ensuring effective governance of public innovation institutions; Strengthening intellectual property protection; Supporting knowledge-intensive and inclusive innovations; Promoting international cooperation and investment; Establishing WINWIN Centres of Excellence in each priority sector.

So, Ukraine’s vision is clear: to build a state that doesn’t just serve its people, but empowers them to lead in the digital age.

Governance Reinvented: Model for the Future

In nearly six years, the Ministry of Digital Transformation has achieved results that the European Commission has described as "well advanced" in its official assessments. Ukraine’s digital transformation is gradually contributing to the EU integration process by improving public services and encouraging cooperation. Diia is gaining recognition as an example of state-led innovation — offering useful insights for countries seeking to improve public trust, transparency, and digital service delivery.

In an age of eroding trust, democratic backsliding, and institutional stagnation, Ukraine is offering an alternative. We’re proving that governments can be fast, responsive, transparent — and even inspiring. This isn’t a surface upgrade — it’s a structural reinvention. We’re not simply rebuilding what we lost. We are building something that’s never existed before.

Ukraine’s experience shows that even under the worst conditions, a digital government can deliver dignity, security, and innovation. We are not waiting for peace to modernize. We are using innovation as a weapon of resilience, reconstruction, and reform.

Governments everywhere should take note. Because the future of governance doesn’t arrive after the crisis — it is built inside it.

Valeriya Ionan

Advisor to the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine. Former Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine (2019–2025)