Yuliya Chufistova, Chair of the Expert Council of the Mayors’ Club, had the opportunity to attend the international exhibition and conference Rebuild Ukraine in Warsaw, which was twice as large this time compared to the February edition. This demonstrates not a decline, but rather growing international interest in Ukraine.
The main objective of the Rebuild Ukraine conference is to attract international financing for the reconstruction of Ukrainian communities, support Ukrainian energy-sector companies in restoring critical infrastructure facilities damaged as a result of Russia’s military aggression, and attract investment to Ukrainian cities and regions that are currently supporting millions of displaced families while offering attractive investment opportunities.
A large number of companies from the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Romania, Ukraine, and other countries participated in or attended the event this time. In total, 22 national pavilions were represented, with 579 companies taking part, including 554 international and 25 Ukrainian companies.
All of them are eager to contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction and do business with Ukraine. However, based on our discussions with both business representatives and government officials, it became clear that neither international partners nor businesses have a clear roadmap for how to engage in Ukraine’s reconstruction most effectively.
Around 100 municipalities attending the exhibition presented their reconstruction projects, which is undoubtedly positive for Ukraine. However, international businesses are looking for opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.
It is precisely the network of organizations and companies that has formed around the Mayors’ Club as a result of nearly two years of active work that can effectively bridge this gap.
We were especially delighted to visit the impressive Netherlands Pavilion and meet Special Envoy Roderick van Schreven, Director of the Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Programme Robert-Jan Siegers, and representatives of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), with whom we are actively cooperating.
In our view, while other countries are still considering how best to support business cooperation with Ukraine, the Ukraine Partnership Facility (UPF) subsidy programme is one of the best examples in Europe of how to support Ukraine’s recovery. At the same time, the programme provides funding and incentives for Dutch businesses, creating opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.
We are already working with our Dutch partners on several applications that have the potential to make a significant contribution to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
One of the key points we would like to highlight this time is that the energy ministers of several European countries reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing aggression, while businesses from these countries expressed strong interest in participating in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.
As Ukraine’s Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko noted, Ukraine’s story today is a «story of courage and a story of opportunities». According to the Minister, in the face of Russian aggression, Ukraine is changing the rules of the game in the European energy market.
He also emphasized that European businesses investing in the energy sector should not be afraid to act and take steps toward cooperation with Ukraine already today.
«Even if you are hesitant about entering the Ukrainian market during the war, the Ukrainian side will do everything possible to provide you with all the necessary documentation and everything you need to conduct business. You need to be ready to act the day after the war ends, rather than delay and waste time waiting for the post-war period», – Halushchenko emphasized.
Meanwhile, Lars Aagaard, Denmark’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, noted that it is essential to support Ukraine and its energy system during the war. He emphasized that Denmark is a reliable partner and that the country is currently gathering information on the areas where support for Ukraine is most needed.
He also recalled that Copenhagen recently allocated €40 million for Ukraine’s recovery needs, including the purchase of mobile heating boilers for Mykolaiv and the repair of the city’s centralized heating system.
Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Johan Forssell, noted that supporting Ukraine remains one of the Swedish government’s priorities. According to him, the Swedish government has developed a strategy for cooperation on Ukraine’s reconstruction and reforms for 2023-2027, which provides for the allocation of significant funding to projects aimed at Ukraine’s recovery.
He noted that cooperation on Ukraine’s reconstruction offers broad opportunities for Swedish private businesses, emphasizing that it is a «win-win» opportunity that can bring mutual benefits to both sides.
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Признателен Вашей команде,Юлия Геннадьевна,за возможность принять участь в відбудові України .