The event "Ukraine changes the world. Dialogues on Opportunities" organized by the Ukrainian socio-political magazine NV was held in Kyiv to discuss ideas of win-win strategies for Ukraine. The participants, Ukrainian businessmen, public figures and top representatives of various industries, discussed opportunities for investment, economic cooperation, security, military and technological development. The key message of the event was the realization that Ukraine is a major player on the world stage and its successes will shape the future of all of Europe.
This was reported by NV.
Global Challenges and Ukrainian Opportunities
The event focused on key global trends, including political changes in the United States, transformation processes in Europe, and China's strategic positioning. Participants emphasized that Ukraine is not only adapting to new conditions, but also creating new rules of the game in the international arena by offering inventive solutions and attracting domestic and foreign investment.
Keynote speakers included American journalist and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom Valeriy Zaluzhny, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Kornienko, Advisor to the Minister of Defense Oleksandr Kubrakov, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Energy Nataliya Boyko, Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company in Ukraine Oleksandr Kravchenko, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gennady Chyzhykov, Lieutenant Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Kyrylo Veres, CEO of Dragon Capital Tomas Fiala, and Ambassadors of Argentina, Brazil and India to Ukraine.
Key discussion panels
The event program included several panels dedicated to critical issues:
- "Resilience for Export" - discussing strategies for entering international markets in the face of instability.
- "Transforming Challenges" - looking for new opportunities to attract investment and trade deals.
- "Betting on Integration - Ukraine's path to the EU and favorable lending conditions.
- "The Future of Military Tech - discussing innovations in military technology.
- "Energy Surge - Ukraine's role in Europe's energy security and transition to green energy.
- "Made Innovatively" - presentation of the latest technological developments.
Thomas Friedman Speech: Security and European Integration
In his speech, American journalist Thomas Friedman examined the prospects for Ukraine's security under the presidency of Donald Trump. He noted that the deployment of American military bases in Ukraine is unlikely, but the deployment of European peacekeepers is possible:
"I think maybe the best thing Ukraine can get is a European peacekeeping force, not NATO, but some kind of European force on the ground to deter Putin's reinvasion," Friedman said.
He also emphasized the importance of Ukraine's membership in the EU, calling it "a real revenge on Putin."
"I want Putin to wake up every day, look across the border, and on one side of the border is a Slavic Ukraine, a member of the European Union, and on the other side is a Slavic Russia with a stagnant economy. And I think this is Ukraine's final revenge on this man," Friedman stressed.
Friedman: Putin is trying to use Trump to put pressure on Ukraine
The journalist also expressed concern that Putin could use Trump to put pressure on Ukraine:
"Yes, it is obvious what Putin is trying to achieve: he wants to use Trump to win in Ukraine what Putin himself cannot win on the battlefield," Friedman said.
He noted that unlike during Trump's first term, he is now surrounded by people who fully support his decisions without critical analysis, which could have dangerous consequences for Ukraine.
Markarova on five areas of cooperation between Ukraine and the United States
In turn, as part of the panel "Transforming Challenges. Great Potential for Trade Agreements, Investment Attraction, and New Areas of Cooperation, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova presented five strategic areas in which Ukraine could be of interest to American business:
- Agriculture: new opportunities in food production and supply.
- Defense: military-industrial cooperation.
- Energy: especially renewable energy sources and energy security.
- Mining and mineral processing.
- Digitization and development of the IT sector.
Markarova emphasized that even in times of war, Ukraine provides food for more than 400 million people in the world.
She also stressed that Ukraine is an important partner for the United States in the security and economic spheres.
"We continue to work with the new administration, with the Congress, with the American people, and very much with the American business community to convince them of the importance of Ukraine to a secure, peaceful, and prosperous future for all of us," the ambassador said.
Zaluzhny on Russia's advantages on the battlefield
Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny, now Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, noted in his speech that Russia has three main advantages in the war against Ukraine:
- Development of technologies for the use of unmanned systems on fiber optics.
- Massive use of guided aerial bombs.
- Availability of much larger human resources.
At the same time, Zaluzhny stressed that Ukraine relies on technological development:
"We were the first in the world to create unmanned forces. In fact, we are now expanding and increasing the unmanned component. We are actively developing robotic platforms. We have ground combat platforms.
Author: Danylo Pievchev