Ukraine president names ex-finance minister Danylyuk as top security official

Ukrainian former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk speaks during an interview with Reuters in Kiev, Ukraine June 8, 2018. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday appointed former finance minister Oleksandr Danylyuk as the top official of the body responsible for coordinating national security.

The national security and defence council comprises ministers, senior lawmakers and top regional officials and is chaired by the president.

Danylyuk's appointment, confirmed in a decree published on the presidential website, could be welcomed by investors. He pushed reforms and cooperation with the International Monetary Fund while finance minister between 2016-2018.

Zelenskiy also restored Ukrainian citizenship to former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was stripped of it under Zelenskiy's predecessor Petro Poroshenko after a political row.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by John Stonestreet)