Business Ukraine Autumn2021

Autumn 2021

TURKEY IN

UKRAINE

BUSINESS UKRAINE MAGAZINE – AUTUMN 2021 Turkey has emerged in recent years as one of Ukraine’s most important trading partners and a leading source of international investment. This strengthening relationship between the two Black Sea neighbors reflects strong synergies in a range of economic sectors and shared geopolitical interests.

(Cover image: bridge construction by Onur Group Ukraine underway in Zaporizhia)

Time to rediscover eastern Ukraine’s colorful cosmopolitan past During the 2021 summer season, a small and seemingly inconsequential town in eastern Ukraine attracted a sudden flurry of international headlines. Unusually for the war-torn region, the stories in question were not about Russia’s latest military escalation or the sufferings of civilians caught up in the conflict. Instead, reports focused on the town’s decision to change its name to New York.

While many commentators were initially surprised by this seemingly eccentric move, it was actually entirely in keeping with the region’s cosmopolitan past.

Located in Donetsk Oblast a mere stone’s throw away from the front lines, Ukraine’s very own New York was originally founded in the late nineteenth century by German settlers. According to local legend, the town’s name was chosen because the wife of one of the founders had American roots. It remained New York until 1951, when mounting Cold War rivalry with the United States convinced the Soviet authorities to rename the town Novhorodske.

Following the onset of Russian aggression in 2014, calls to revive the town’s original name began to grow as locals sought to counter Kremlin propaganda falsely depicting the entire region as historically Russian. “If we change the name, we can show the whole world that our city has no basis in Russia. Because our history is not Russian history, it is our history, European history,” local youth leader Kristina Shevchenko told Euronews in April 2021.

Now officially renamed New York, the Donetsk region town of around 12,000 is making the most of its attention-grabbing identity. In the past few months, it has hosted a literary festival and an alternative New York Marathon to raise awareness of ongoing Russian aggression, while also inspiring a recently released book

by Franco-Swiss journalistic duo Sebastien Gobert and Niels Ackermann. Rumors that the town will soon seek to brand itself as “The Little Apple” remain unconfirmed.

The tale of an east Ukrainian town founded by Germans and named after New York is a timely reminder of the region’s largely forgotten international inheritance. From the dawn of the industrial age until the first decades of the twentieth century, eastern Ukraine served as Europe’s very own Wild East and attracted a wide range of industrialists, entrepreneurs and adventurers from across the continent who established flourishing communities and founded entire cities.

Sadly, this fascinating history was subsequently washed away by the totalitarian tides of the twentieth century. In its place, Moscow has cultivated the myth of eastern Ukraine as an indivisible element of Russia’s ancestral heartlands. Vladimir Putin is a key proponent of this historically illiterate nonsense, and has frequently used such claims to question the legitimacy of modern Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. Likewise, false notions of eastern Ukraine’s Russian roots have played a central part in Moscow’s

attempts since 2014 to justify its ongoing military intervention in the region.

The true tale of eastern Ukraine’s formative years presents a very different picture. Tellingly, both of the regional capitals currently under Russian occupation were established by Brits. Welsh businessman John Hughes founded Donetsk in 1869, while Englishman Charles Gascoigne is credited with establishing Luhansk almost a hundred years earlier in the late eighteen century. One wonders what these two British pioneers would make of the Kremlin’s efforts to lay claim to their legacies.

Meanwhile, the Germans of New York were far from the only international community living in eastern Ukraine during the second half of the nineteen century. As the interests of European industrialists continued to grow in the region, so did the expat population.

The Belgian presence in particular was so large that a 65-hour rail service from Brussels to Dnipro was launched in 1896. On the eve of the First World War, there were a total of eight separate Belgian consulates located throughout Czarist Ukraine, with most concentrated in the booming cities of the industrial east.

This international involvement was unwelcome and embarrassing for the Bolsheviks, who sought to eradicate all traces of eastern Ukraine’s cosmopolitan heritage while claiming the laurels of industrialization for themselves. New York’s name change in the early 1950s was one of many such steps to remove evidence of the region’s diverse beginnings.

Since the collapse of the USSR, there have been a number of isolated initiatives to rediscover this suppressed history. However, Kremlin disinformation continues to shape perceptions of eastern Ukraine, both in the international information space and inside Ukraine itself. This is a matter of national security for the Ukrainian authorities and an important front in the hybrid war with Russia.

Raising awareness about eastern Ukraine’s historic ties to the rest of Europe will not magically persuade Putin to retreat from the region, of course. However, promoting this fascinating heritage can help change the conversation around eastern Ukraine while also exposing the emptiness of Moscow’s imperial pretensions. Eastern Ukraine was once regarded as Europe’s final frontier and widely viewed as a land of international opportunity. Now would be a very good time to revive this image.

Peter Dickinson Publisher Business Ukraine magazine

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turkey in ukraine

TURKEY IN UKRAINE In recent years, Turkish-Ukrainian ties have deepened significantly in a wide range of sectors from politics and defense to trade and investment.

Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere believes the best is yet to come and says the true strength of the bilateral relationship lies in the many natural synergies that create clear gains for both sides.

About the author: Yagmur Ahmet Guldere is the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Ukraine When I first took up my post as Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine in early 2019, I felt honored, excited, and highly motivated. I was already familiar with how close our two countries were. Nevertheless, after three years, I have come to the conclusion that what we have witnessed so far is but a modest reflection of what we can actually achieve together.

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Strong Political Ties Politically, relations between Turkey and Ukraine are currently excellent. We have reached such a level that our presidents meet twice a year and hold regular phone calls between meetings. There is also regular engagement between government ministers on a wide range of issues.

Last year, we introduced the new 2+2 Quadriga format, which brings : www.bunews.com.ua

NOW IN UKRAINE

turkey in ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pictured during a meeting in Istanbul in April 2021. (Photo: president.gov.ua)

: the foreign and defense ministers of both countries together annually.

One crucial element in this intensive political dialog is the reciprocal trust that exists between the two sides at the political level.

While there are inevitably nuances in the bilateral relationship on minor matters, when it comes to core issues such as Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Turkey has been clearly and consistently supportive of Ukraine. Our non-recognition policy was reaffirmed by President Erdogan during his UN General Assembly speech in September 2021, and by Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, who personally attended the inaugural Crimea Platform Summit in Kyiv in August 2021.

Growing Bilateral Trade Bilateral trade trends are also encouraging. Despite the disruptive influence of the global pandemic, bilateral trade remained steady last year at USD 4.5 billion and rose during the first seven months of 2021 by almost 50%. This growth is fueling optimism that the two countries can reach the annual trade target of USD 10 billion set forth jointly by the presidents of Turkey and Ukraine.

One key step towards attaining this goal is concluding a Turkish-Ukrainian free trade agreement. Negotiations over a free trade deal have been ongoing for a number of years. When you try to conclude such an agreement between two economies of this scale, there is bound to be hesitation on both sides. Even so, I believe it is high time we looked at the bigger picture.

Curbing competition may be convenient for some, but through carefully calibrated calendars and by taking into account our comparative advantages, we should be able to find common ground and let our two countries reap the benefits of competition that this free trade agreement envisages.

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Investing in Ukraine’s Future Bilateral economic cooperation is not just about trade, of course. The USD 4 billion of Turkish investment in this country is a clear signal that Turkish businesses believe in the bright future of Ukraine. Naturally, there are areas where improvements could be made to create a more investment-friendly climate in Ukraine, but the verdict of the Turkish business community appears to be overwhelmingly positive.

The development of Ukrainian industrial parks could help boost the level of Turkish investments further. This concept is rather new in Ukraine, and the necessary legislation is still not fully in place. Turkey has great experience in this field. In the Turkish “organized industrial zone” system, central government, local authorities, and private business join hands. Thanks to well-established principles that don’t change from one region of the country to another, investors know in advance what to expect in terms of incentives and benefits, and are able to conduct all formalities with just one counterpart.

I think this formula could work wonders in Ukraine. In fact, the first Ukrainian industrial park inspired by this approach has already opened in Mariupol and attracted investments of almost USD 50 million from Turkey in a very short space of time. I believe this industrial park in Mariupol will be the first but by no means the last of its kind in Ukraine.

Turkish Role in Ukraine’s Modernization I am also proud to witness first-hand during my regional visits throughout Ukraine how Turkish companies are actively contributing to the country’s ambitious and much-needed modernization. Whether it is in terms of building roads, constructing logistically critical bridges in : www.bunews.com.ua

Photo: president.gov.ua

turkey in ukraine

: places like Zaporizhia and Kremenchuk, extending the Kharkiv metro, or building new airport terminals in major cities, Turkish contractors are simply everywhere.

Cooperation could grow even stronger with the development of public-private partnership projects in Ukraine. Turkey has used this model quite effectively for some time to develop airport, highway, bridge, and hospital projects, including the new Istanbul Airport. Effective implementation of this model in Ukraine could pave the way for some truly spectacular joint projects.

Turkey Welcomes Record Numbers of Ukrainians Without doubt, tourism has been a key area of cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine. Even in 2020, when the pandemic dealt a huge blow to the global tourism industry, Turkey still managed to host almost a million Ukrainians. This year, we expect to surpass pre-pandemic figures and approach a new annual record of two million Ukrainian visitors.

This was made possible by a number of factors, especially the intensive vaccination drive in Turkey and the safe tourism certification program we developed in response to the pandemic. By vaccinating the vast majority of people working in the tourism industry prior to the tourism season, and by meticulously implementing the safe tourism certificate program that covers every aspect of the tourist experience from transportation and accommodation to the distance between individual sun loungers on the beach, we have managed to 16

keep visiting guests happy and healthy.

It is also worth emphasizing that tourism in Turkey is not only about sun, sand, and sensational buffets. We also offer modern winter resorts which hosted Ukrainian tourists for the first time last year.

Health tourism is another sector that is witnessing a growing number of Ukrainians traveling to Turkey for medical procedures and operations in state-of-the-art hospitals before enjoying a nice holiday to recuperate.

Last but not least is sports tourism, which continues to draw more and more people to Turkey each year. Whether you are a golfer or a cyclist, or if you simply want to collect the autographs of the players from your favorite football team, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Turkey.

Building Bridges Across the Black Sea One aspect of the growing tourist traffic between Turkey and Ukraine that carries particular importance in my eyes is the potential it has to create a special bond between the two nations. Despite being neighbors across the Black Sea, interaction between Ukraine and Turkey has not always been intensive due to a variety of historical reasons.

Tourism is perhaps the best way to address this deficit.

Every Ukrainian who visits Turkey and every Turk visiting Ukraine soon comes to realize that the two nations have much in common and are not so different after all. In my opinion, this simple revelation is the most effective step towards stronger future cooperation between our two countries. : www.bunews.com.ua

turkey in ukraine

Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere pictured alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (center) during the inaugural Crimea Platform Summit, which took place in Kyiv on 23 August 2021. (Photo: president.gov.ua)

: The historic bonds connecting Turkey and Ukraine can also help facilitate this process. There are thousands of Ukrainians with Turkic roots.

In addition to the large Azerbaijani population in today’s Ukraine, Crimean Tatar, Gagauz, and Meskhetian Turk communities constitute natural bridges that connect Turkey and Ukraine. Meanwhile, there are millions of Turkish citizens with Crimean Tatar roots.

Unfortunately, the Crimean Tatars and Meskhetian Turks have had a lot to endure throughout history, especially after the catastrophic deportations of 1944. More recently, the events of 2014 have certainly exacerbated these problems. Together with the Ukrainian leadership, we stand with these communities and assist them with various projects. One of the latest examples of this support was the decision of presidents Erdogan and Zelenskyy to construct 500 houses for Crimean Tatars who lost their homes following the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Beyond Suleiman and Roxolana When exploring the cultural similarities and historical bonds between Ukraine and Turkey, it saddens me to note that many people in both countries still tend to oversimplify the scale of our past interaction.

They typically only refer to the story of Suleiman the Magnificent and Roxolana, or Hurrem Sultan as she is known in Turkey.

This chapter in our common history is truly intriguing, but the there are many other fascinating stories involving the Ottoman Empire and the Ukrainian Cossacks that are also worthy of attention, along with many Turkish-Ukrainian legends we have yet to explore hidden within the walls of old fortresses like Akkerman and Chihirin.

I hope Turkish and Ukrainian historians will have the chance to study these episodes more intensively in the future and come up with new accounts that will challenge the traditional dominance of Suleiman and Roxolana. In terms of cultural heritage, I would also like to emphasize that there are multiple Turkish and Ottoman military burial sites in Ukraine that would be of great interest to Turkish tourists if they were made more accessible for visitors.

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Defense Sector Synergies One area of cooperation which has attracted a lot of attention lately is in the defense industry. In particular, Ukraine’s purchase of Bayraktar-TB2 drones has made quite an impact. Turkish-Ukrainian cooperation in defense should not come as a surprise because there is a natural synergy between the two nations. Ukraine has great experience, know-how, and production capabilities in terms of the country’s defense industry. However, there are numerous obstacles which impair the Ukrainian defense sector’s competitiveness and limit the country’s export possibilities.

Meanwhile, Turkey has made great strides towards boosting its capabilities in this sphere and currently has a young but cutting-edge defense sector. As such, the defense industries of the two countries complement one another extremely well.

At governmental level and in the private sector, Turkey and Ukraine have been engaged in detailed discussion for some time over how best to activate this huge potential. These talks have already matured into a number of specific projects and represent a win-win scenario for both countries.

Flourishing Partnership After three years as the Turkish Ambassador in Kyiv, I have become convinced that Turkey and Ukraine as countries, as well as Turks and Ukrainians as people, have much more in common than they might think. I am absolutely thrilled to see bilateral relations move one step forward with every passing day, and honored to be able to contribute to this process.

Today’s flourishing cooperation is destined to grow further, for the simple reason that Turkish-Ukrainian partnership reflects natural synergies that create clear gains for both sides. From agriculture to tourism, and from infrastructure projects to green energy, we are just beginning to unleash the true potential of bilateral ties. And based on the evidence so far, it is undeniable that whenever we join hands, the results always surpass our expectations. www.bunews.com.ua

Turkish company helps

build the new Ukraine Over the past 17 years, Turkish-based Onur Group has been behind for some of Ukraine’s most important infrastructure upgrades. Onur Group Ukraine General Coordinator Emre Karaahmetoglu spoke to Business Ukraine magazine about the company’s commitment to Ukraine and his ambitious plans for further expansion.

large volumes of work across Ukraine within the framework of the Big Construction program. We have been gradually working towards this for some time. This helped prepare us for the kind of largescale tasks envisioned by the Big Construction program and enabled us to increase our presence in terms of equipment, facilities, and employees.

Onur Group has been operating in Ukraine since 2004. Which projects stand out as milestones?

It goes without saying that every project is important and valuable. However, if I must single out a few particular projects from our portfolio, I would identify the construction of bridges across the Dnipro River and Staryi Dnipro River in Zaporizhia; the construction of the Kyiv–Chop, Dnipro–Reshetylivka, and Kyiv–Kharkiv– Dovzhanskyi highways; and the Output and Performance-Based Road Contract (OPRC) for the maintenance and repair of a 187km sector of the Kyiv-Chop highway, which is a unique project in Ukraine.

About the interviewee: Emre Karaahmetoglu is the General Coordinator of Onur Group Ukraine Onur Group Ukraine more than doubled its annual revenues in 2020 to UAH 24.4 billion compared to UAH 10.6 billion in 2019. What are the key factors that led to this impressive result?

Properly organized work, team structure, and the logistics of materials are always the keys to increasing revenues. Onur Group is an international company that has been specializing in the construction 20

of roads, dams, bridges and airports in a range of different countries for more than 40 years. We have been operating in Ukraine since 2004 with a steadily expanding presence. During this time, the company has implemented hundreds of infrastructure projects and built more than 3,500km of roads throughout Ukraine.

Over the past two years, our team has engaged in

Onur is often credited with helping transform Ukraine’s road network and setting new standards following decades of neglect.

What are the secrets behind Onur’s positive reputation in Ukraine?

Quality and innovation are the core values of Onur Group. This helped us take ninety-second place among the Top 250 International Contractors and feature on the Top 250 Global Contractors list for 2021 according to American magazine Engineering News-Record’s authoritative annual rankings.

Onur Group also occupied twenty-third position in a recent rating of the country’s largest companies compiled by Forbes Ukraine.

Our main advantages are our highly qualified team, extensive experience in the road construction sector, and access to the latest technologies.

In order to build high quality roads, we invest in international experience and knowledge. This is :

turkey in ukraine

www.bunews.com.ua

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we create. After all, we work for the public. We treat each new project as a major responsibility.

This leads to positive results.

During your 17 years in Ukraine, ONUR has expanded into a wide range of new sectors. What is Onur’s current portfolio of activities in Ukraine?

We live in Ukraine. We love it here and we understand the specifics of the country very well. For those who do not live in Ukraine, it may be more difficult to appreciate the current realities and identify the best opportunities to invest. We have already made significant investments into the agricultural sector, renewable energy, and the woodworking industry. More recently, we have been actively investing in minerals. Plans are in place for investments into the real estate sector and tourism.

Ukraine is constantly developing as a country and becoming a more interesting investment proposition for the international community. There are a wide range of sectors that still need to be developed. We always pay attention to these opportunities and plan to continue making further investments in new areas.

Onur Group operates in a number of countries around the world. What is Ukraine’s current position in the Group’s global activities?

Onur Group is an international company that has extensive experience around the world. Ukraine actually occupies first place at Onur Group this year in terms of overall work volumes. At the same time, we continue to work actively in Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Moldova.

One of the most high-profile current projects undertaken by Onur Group in Ukraine is the bridge in Zaporizhia across the Dnipro. What technical problems did this project pose and what are your expectations for the completion of the bridge?

This project is the largest infrastructure object in the country and one of the most ambitious tasks taken on by our team. Ukrainians in general and the population of the Zaporizhia in particular have been waiting for this bridge for many years. When Onur Group began work on the project, it was an unfinished object that required completion. Based on our experience, I can confirm that it is sometimes better to begin construction from scratch.

Luckily, the Onur Group team has built a number of major bridges in different countries and we have very valuable international experience. In order to take advantage of this experience, we brought together around 800 specialists to work on this project. They are engaged around the clock and www.bunews.com.ua

are producing fantastic results. We face fresh challenges on a daily basis but always manage to find effective solutions. For example, in order to install beams weighing more than 780 tons, we used Europe’s most powerful floating crane.

The Zaporizhia project features two bridges: a beam bridge across the Staryi Dnipro River which will lead from Khortytsia Island to Baburka district, and a cable-stayed bridge connecting Khortytsia Island to the center of Zaporizhia. Once completed, this second bridge will be the highest in Ukraine and the eighth tallest in Europe. These bridges will result in significant improvements to traffic flow in the city while relieving pressure on nearby highways. This will provide an economic boost to the wider region and the entire country.

turkey in ukraine

: our image. It is vital that people like the product

Ukraine is currently undergoing a nationwide modernization process, which includes a significant construction component ranging from new roads and bridges to the reconstruction of ports and regional airports. What opportunities does this open up for Onur in Ukraine and how does it affect your future plans?

We always focus on operating efficiently and efficiently, regardless of the wider conditions where we are active. We live in Ukraine, raise our children here, and want to give this country the highest quality results. Onur Group currently has about 140 active projects underway in Ukraine. Our team consists of 6,500 people and 90-95% of our employees are Ukrainians. In 2020, we paid UAH 720 million in taxes to the Ukrainian state budget.

Our plan is simple. We intend to continue working efficiently and effectively for Ukraine. In addition to our daily work, we implement a wide range of social projects in Ukraine. For example, we regularly provide support to doctors, hospitals, and schools. We also actively back the development of sports in Ukraine. This includes organizing the largest cycling race in the country, the Tour de Onur. After all, life is not just about working hard and generating profits. It is also important to run a socially responsible business that works for the wider benefit of society.

As an international company with a strong presence in Ukraine, what advice would you give to other international companies or investors who might be thinking of entering the Ukrainian market?

The most important thing is to love your work and to do it efficiently. It also helps to love and respect the country where you work. Take care of the end user and protect your reputation. You need to take responsibility at every stage of your work. Only then can you count on positive results.

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Leading Turkish developer

enters the Ukrainian market Bosphorus Development brings decades of real estate development experience to Ukraine

The 61-story Istanbul Tower is the tallest office building in Turkey From his offices high up in one of Kyiv’s most prestigious business centers, Mehmet V. Sacaklioglu enjoys stunning panoramic views of the Ukrainian capital. It is a fitting location to plot the progress of new arrival Bosphorus Development, a real estate developer company that brings decades of experience in Turkey to the Ukrainian market.

Sacaklioglu has a unique skill set that makes him ideally suited to his role as Founder and Chairman of the Board of Bosphorus Development. He represents the third generation of a flourishing Turkish family business that has grown into one of the largest real estate developers in Turkey today. At the same time, he has been resident in the Ukrainian capital for the past twenty years and regards Ukraine as a second homeland. He is now looking forward 24

to translating this wealth of professional experience and intimate knowledge of Ukrainian realities into a meaningful contribution to the building boom currently underway in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine.

“I want to apply our fifty years of successful experience in Turkey to the Ukrainian market and build high quality projects here,” says Sacaklioglu. “Now is the right time to be entering the real estate development market in Ukraine.

The current business climate is favorable and there is considerable demand for international-class residential and commercial real estate projects.”

Bosphorus Development has already acquired a strong land bank of plots in prestige locations throughout the Ukrainian capital, with work scheduled to begin on the company’s first Kyiv

project in the final weeks of 2021. Further projects are expected to get underway in the following months as the recently launched company builds momentum.

Sacaklioglu comes from a family with a rich tradition in the real estate development business.

The Sacaklioglu family business currently ranks among the top ten developers in Turkey with a portfolio featuring hundreds of projects mostly concentrated in Istanbul including some of the historic city’s most iconic modern buildings.

The flagship of the family business is undoubtedly the Istanbul Tower 205. This 61-story, 220 meter tower in Istanbul’s most prestigious business district is the tallest office building in Turkey and features state-of-the-art technologies while also meeting the latest environmental standards. It was designed by Skidmore,

turkey in ukraine

Owings & Merrill (SOM), the Chicago-based global architectural firm that was also behind a host of internationally famous towers such as New York’s One World Trade Center and the world’s current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Other notable family projects include the vast Istanbul Aquarium, which ranks among the three largest in the world. The aquarium, which was developed on the basis of a public-private partnership, is a major tourist attraction. It encompasses a total area of 40 hectares and features 66 tanks holding thousands of animals in more than seven thousand cubic meters of water.

Sacaklioglu aims to replicate the ambition behind these large-scale projects with his work in Ukraine, and notes that Bosphorus Development can call upon a highly skilled architectural team in Turkey. He also plans to repeat the practice of engaging some of the world’s leading architects and engineers to develop projects that will take the Ukrainian market to the next level. “We are committed to developing beautiful projects here in Ukraine together with top names from the international architecture industry. This commitment to quality is our core value as a company and reflects directly on the reputation of our family. Protecting and enhancing this reputation is our top priority. We will deliver high quality projects or none at all.”

In addition to his strong family background in the real estate development business, Sacaklioglu also points to the current health of Turkish-Ukrainian ties as a source of optimism.

“There is a very good relationship between Turkey and Ukraine at the moment,” he notes.

“It feels very comfortable doing business in Kyiv. We are good partners and friendly neighbors across the Black Sea. I can fly from Kyiv to Istanbul in less than two hours. Everything is very convenient.”

Looking ahead, Sacaklioglu is excited about Ukraine’s trajectory and hopes Bosphorus Development can play a part in the country’s further growth. Having witnessed first-hand the role of the construction industry as an engine of Turkey’s economic success story, he believes the same is possible in Ukraine. “We believe in Ukraine and we are ready to invest in the country’s future. We think Ukraine has great prospects and aim to contribute to this progress.”

About the interviewee: Mehmet V. Sacaklioglu is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Bosphorus Development

www.bunews.com.ua

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turkey in ukraine

Turkey and Ukraine benefit from blossoming bilateral business ties Turkey has emerged in recent years as one of Ukraine’s most important economic partners and a leading source of international investment. According to Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association Chairman Burak Pehlivan, this relationship is set to blossom further as the two countries continue to explore opportunities created by close geographical ties, shared geopolitical interests, and highly complementary economies.

Burak Pehlivan is not a man to rest on his laurels. As the long-serving Chairman of the Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association (TUID), he is one of the hardest-working figures on the Ukrainian business scene and a familiar face at conferences and networking events across the country. Nevertheless, when the forty-three-year-old sits down with Business Ukraine magazine at the head office of TUID on central Kyiv’s Saksahanskoho Street in late October, he allows himself to pause for a moment and reflect on the considerable progress of recent years. “You know,” he says, “We are really very lucky to be involved at this point in the relationship. There is a such a great ecosystem now in place between Turkey and Ukraine. We have all worked so hard and now we are seeing the results of those efforts.”

Strong Bilateral Trade Growth Pehlivan’s sense of optimism at the current state of Turkish-Ukrainian business ties is understandable.

Over the past decade, Turkey has emerged as one of Ukraine’s most important trading partners. The country ranked as the fourth-largest export market for Ukrainian companies in the first six months of 2021

and the number seven source of imports into Ukraine during the same period. Overall, bilateral trade was up by around 45% year-on-year in January-August 2021 and is on track to reach an annual total of more than USD 6 billion. The TUID Chairman also notes that Turkey was the largest source of international investment into Ukraine during the turbulent pandemic year of 2020.

Bilateral business ties between the Black Sea neighbors are clearly blossoming.

This encouraging outlook is reflected in the fortunes of TUID, the business association Pehlivan leads. While many of the international chambers of commerce in Ukraine struggled with the disruptive impact of the global coronavirus pandemic, the Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association actually grew in 2020, welcoming a total of 30 new members. A further 26 companies have joined TUID in the period up until October 2021, bringing overall membership to more than 200 companies.

TUID’s recent expansion has also been geographical. The organization unveiled a Southern Ukraine Representative Office in early autumn in Ukrainian Black Sea port city Odesa. This new Representative Office is designed to support and enhance the work already being done by existing TUID regional offices in southern Ukrainian cities Odesa, Kherson, and Zaporizhia. In recent years, the business association has also es- :

About the interviewee: Burak Pehlivan is Chairman of the Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association (TUID) 28

www.bunews.com.ua

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: tablished regional offices in Lviv, Vinnytsia, and Kharkiv, along with a Western Ukraine Representative Office in Lviv and head office in Kyiv. This is comfortably the most extensive national network of any international chamber of commerce in Ukraine.

Contributing to Ukraine’s Infrastructure Upgrade With bilateral trade across the Black Sea on the rise, Pehlivan expects the Southern Ukraine Representative Office to be busy in the coming months. He points to Turkey’s traditionally strong position in the construction sector, and notes that this creates huge opportunities as Ukraine seeks to achieve a long overdue generational infrastructure upgrade. In par-

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ticular, he expects Turkish companies to participate in the modernization and expansion of the numerous seaports along Ukraine’s southern coastline that act as vital gateways for the country’s growing international trade. “Around 20% of the world’s top 250 construction companies are Turkish and this has translated into a prominent presence in Ukraine,” notes Pehlivan. “Turkish companies have been involved in more than 200 major Ukrainian construction projects with a total value of over USD 8 billion. This includes thousands of kilometers of roads and highways, bridges and metro lines, airport terminals and runways, football stadiums, shopping centers, residential complexes.”

Turkey’s involvement in construction and

infrastructure projects is one of the bestknown aspects of the country’s business activities in Ukraine, but Pehlivan is eager to underline the increasingly diverse range of Turkish companies currently present in the Ukrainian market. Flagship brands include the lifecell mobile communications operator and Turkish Airlines, which has established itself as one of the leading international carriers in Ukraine with flight services from Kyiv and a number of regional airports. He notes that the most dynamic sector over the past two years has been the renewable energy industry, with a range of Turkish companies entering the market and investing hundreds of millions of dollars, and also cites growing Turkish interest in Ukraine’s impressive IT industry. :

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“The Turkish and Ukrainian economies are complementary. As ties continue to strengthen, the economic compatibility of Turkey and Ukraine will remain one of our greatest advantages” :

Agricultural Opportunities Pehlivan is bullish about the prospects for expanding partnership in the agriculture sector, where Ukraine and Turkey have long enjoyed intensive cooperation. He expects the recent opening up of Ukraine’s agricultural land market to drive an increase in capital among Ukrainian agribusinesses that will translate into opportunities for Turkish companies offering everything from fertilizers and seeds to state-of-the-art machinery and greenhouses. With much of the famed Ukrainian breadbasket now experiencing the negative impact of climate change and concerns mounting over the future viability of the agricultural industry especially in traditional farming regions of southern Ukraine, there is also potentially a considerable market for Turkish agricultural irrigation know-how and technologies.

Turkish-Ukrainian Free Trade Agreement The largest single issue on the Turk-

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ish-Ukrainian economic agenda remains a free trade agreement between the two countries. Negotiations towards a landmark free trade deal have been ongoing for a number of years and have become bogged down despite strong and often vocal political support from Kyiv and Ankara. The next opportunity to sign off on the widely anticipated document will come when the Ukrainian and Turkish presidents meet in early 2022 for a summit to mark the thirtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Pehlivan believes overwhelming majorities within the political and business communities in both Turkey and Ukraine back the idea of a free trade deal and says limited levels of opposition are to be expected. He likens the situation to the hesitancy from segments of the Turkish business community in the 1990s as the country prepared to sign a customs union agreement with the European Union, and argues that much like the earlier EU deal, free trade with Ukraine will also prove to be a win-win for both coun-

tries. “Free trade would ultimately bring growth to every sector. We all need to stop worrying about getting a bigger piece of the pie for ourselves, and start focusing on the more important task of making the pie itself bigger,” he says.

Economic Compatibility Without a free trade agreement in place, Pehlivan warns that it may prove difficult to maintain double digit annual growth in bilateral trade throughout the coming decade.

Even so, he is confident that the broadly positive trends of recent years will continue, regardless of developments at the free trade negotiating table. “The Turkish and Ukrainian economies are complementary.

In many sectors, they complete each other rather than directly competing against each other. We are already benefiting enormously from these synergies. As ties continue to strengthen, the economic compatibility of Turkey and Ukraine will remain one of our greatest advantages.”

www.bunews.com.ua

RELIABLE PARTNER FOR TURKISH INVESTORS IN UKRAINE In the past couple of years, Turkey has become one of the biggest trade partners of Ukraine. Turkish companies are actively investing in the Ukrainian market, especially in the energy, infrastructure, construction, transport and agriculture sectors. Therefore, the availability of a reliable partner, which could guide foreign investors through the constantly changing Ukrainian business environment, is one of the key elements necessary to succeed in Ukraine.

Nazali Tax & Legal International provides a wide range of consultancy services to its national and international clients in relation to legal, tax, and accounting matters. Our philosophy is quality in delivery, timely response, and a business-minded approach. The firm, with its principle «growth along with knowledge», has become a well-known brand in Turkey.

Nazali’s Kyiv office is a part of international network, Nazali Tax & Legal, the biggest law firm in Turkey, counting around 250 lawyers in five offices countrywide, as well as in international offices in Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Russia, Morocco and the Netherlands. This multicultural and cross-country approach allows us to offer tailored-made advice to our clients and bring the best international practices combined with local expertise. That is why our mission is not only to advise clients in Ukraine, but also to provide an opportunity for local companies to commence their business activities in Turkey, as well as in other countries with a Nazali Tax & Legal International presence.

Mr. Dogus Gulpinar, the head of our Kyiv office, has previously advised foreign investors in the Odesa region, and also oversaw the Turkish desk at a reputable Ukrainian law firm. The Kyiv team he leads features experienced lawyers and consultants who have worked for major Ukrainian law firms and Big Four accounting firms.

Despite of being a new face on the market, we have already built trusting business relationships with our clients and continue to develop our network. Our experience includes support on various legal and tax matters related to foreign investment in Ukraine, such as mergers and acquisitions, legal and tax structuring, advice on regulatory, employment and public procurement matters, as well as advice on client day-to-day operation issues.

Our dedicated team is always ready to help you with the most sophisticated matters. If you are seeking a reliable consultant in Ukraine, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Dogus Gulpinar Email: dogus.gulpinar@nazali.com T: +380 (44) 390 94 77 | M: +380 (93) 235 81 71 W: nazali.av.tr | nazali.com | nazaligundem.com A : Silver Breeze Business Centre 1v, Pavla Tychyny Av. Kyiv, Ukraine, 02152, Office 437

Turkish defense sector leader eyes key role

in Ukrainian Armed Forces modernization Turkey’s ASELSAN has been developing defense industry cooperation with Ukraine since 2015 Leading Turkish defense industry company ASELSAN has been expanding its presence on the Ukrainian market since 2015, and established a local LLC company 100% owned by ASELSAN Inc in Kyiv last year to help further advance this deepening cooperation.

Founded in 1975, ASELSAN currently occupies forty-eighth position in the global Top 100 Defense Companies ranking by Defense News magazine. Professor Dr. Haluk Görgün has served as Chairman, President and CEO of ASELSAN since 2018. Under his leadership, the company has implemented significant improvements in organizational structure and partnership strategy, while also placing an emphasis on expansion into global markets and increasing international sales.

Dr. Görgün spoke to Business Ukraine magazine about the company’s activities in Ukraine and shared his vision for ASELSAN’s role in the modernization processes currently underway in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the country’s defense industry.

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ASELSAN first began cooperating with Ukraine in 2015. How has this cooperation evolved over the past six years?

Our journey in Ukraine started in 2015 when we began cooperation on military communication solutions. Six years on, we are now engaged in a range of additional areas as well. We continue to expand our presence in Ukraine with our state-of-the-art capabilities in technologies such as weapons systems, radar and electronic warfare solutions, electronic optics, and command and control systems. We have also established a locally registered company, ASELSAN Ukraine LLC, in order to represent the company in Ukraine and to seek out new opportunities for further cooperation.

How do you see the role of your Ukrainian representative company as you look to expand your cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry?

ASELSAN Ukraine LLC is based in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. It was

established in October 2020 in order to carry out marketing and business development activities in Ukraine. We envisage a range of key functions including following up on existing projects, maintaining direct contact with end users, and ensuring that partners are satisfied with every aspect of our cooperation. Furthermore, I am also proud to announce that we are currently working hard on plans to establish an independent service center in Kyiv. The main focuses of this MRO Center (maintenance, repair, and overhaul center) will be after sales support, maintenance, and repair services.

At ASELSAN Ukraine LLC, we give the highest priority to local needs.

This means offering a selection of services spanning from industrial collaboration to after sales support provided locally in Ukraine. With our wide range of engineering, defense, and commercial solutions, we expect to make significant progress in the Ukrainian market and will continue to seek out new opportunities to develop local cooperation further.

The Ukrainian military is currently engaged in a major modernization drive. What opportunities does this present for ASELSAN and how do you see your role in this ongoing modernization process?

As Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952, ASELSAN has a long record of playing a significant part in joint NATO projects. We consistently apply the highest internationally recognized military standards as well as NATO standards during our design, production, and modernization efforts. For many years, we have successfully modernized land, air, and naval platforms for our domestic as well as international users. With this experience in mind, we are confident that we are the right partner for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the country’s defense industry as they seek to make further progress in their modernization efforts.

The Ukrainian and Turkish defense industries both have fields of expertise where they possess valuable know-how and technologies. Our record of successful export projects together with the Ukrainian defense industry has already demonstrated that we are able to develop tailored solutions together and compete in the international market.

ASELSAN Ukraine LLC has a key role to play in helping to facilitate this collaboration and making sure we realize the full potential of new platform projects together with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. We are ready and willing to take part in major modernization projects in Ukraine and we are currently exploring new areas of potential cooperation together with our partners in the Ukrainian defense industry. www.bunews.com.ua

turkey in ukraine

“We believe we are the right partner for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and defense industry in their modernization efforts” In addition to its defense sector activities, ASELSAN also serves a range of civilian clients. How is this shaping the company’s plans for future development in Ukraine and on the global stage?

With almost half a century of experience in the development of sensors and algorithms, ASELSAN has been continuously combining emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality with the company’s strong technological base. In other words, we have an accumulated body of know-how that offers significant advantages in new product development in both the military and civilian sectors. Our commercial product line currently spans from medical equipment to smart transportation. This product line will continue to expand as we offer solutions to partners and clients in more than 71 countries around the world.

About the interviewee: Professor Dr. Haluk Görgün is Chairman, President and CEO of ASELSAN

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The mission of the company is to ensure the sustainable development of the construction of solar power plants in Ukraine and abroad.

Enerho-Syla Group

We build the future of Ukraine together

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Such contracts provide full control of project implementation by the contractor without involving the client. The experienced Enerho-Syla Group project design team makes it possible to design compex projects.

Our team is responsible for designing 35 photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of more than 435 megawatts. We ensure a complete cycle of construction and maintenance of already existing installations of more than 700 megawatts:

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Valerii Nytchenko, CEO Enerho-Syla Group Enerho-Syla Group is a group of companies born in Ukraine that develops technologies and implements renewable and fossil fuel energy projects.

The company is a reliable general Enerho-Syla Group for is a reliable contractor. Its of main highservices contractor the construction construction include achitectural and engineering design, capital construction, finishing complexity facilities and solar power works, utility services, and the implementation of turnkey projects. plants.

The company is a reliable partner and general contractor of the McDonald’s chain. Enerho-Syla Group has performed civil works, finishing works, arrangement of utility services, furniture installation structures, and landscaping for the first McDonald’s in Ukraine to be located on the Boryspil Highway. The restaurant is a single-storey unit. Dressing rooms and shower rooms are equipped with underfloor heating and the walls of the utility rooms are made of innovative materials.

Thanks to the effective organization and coordinated team, we are fully responsible for the implementation of the project within the contract period, As a general contractor, the has performed works and finishing high quality ofcompany work, and civil compliance works, arrangement of utility services and landscaping for petrol stations with thethebudget. in Kyiv and Kyiv region. Enerho-Syla Group performed civil works and finishing works, arrangement of utility services and the installation of furniture structures for several restaurant projects in Kyiv.

Enerho-Syla Group performs engineering, procurement, and construction in the renewable energy sector, with projects including turnkey solar power plants. The company performs turnkey implementation of investmentconstruction projects, from choosing the construction facility, collecting and preparing primary enabling documentation, design, and equipment supply, to the commissioning of solar power plants and connection to the electricity grid.

- selection of the construction site - preparation of permits, support in meeting technical conditions - project design, approval, project design expertise - preparatory works - construction of access and internal roads of more than 210 kilometers - innovative solutions to optimize construction time – arrangement of 110 meters pontoon - procurement of optimal equipment - construction of grid connection facilities and securing approvals - preparation of a complete package of documents for commissioning The company has the ability to perform works at any time of the year, including during the winter months at low temperatures and in autumn during the rainy season, which makes it possible to reduce the payback period.

The experience and professionalism of the design team minimize the construction time of energy facilities. The company has its own heavy equipment park and electrotechnical laboratory, which makes it possible to provide a full cycle of construction works. The company’s large number of piling machines makes it possible to carry out the task of driving piles in the shortest possible time.

The key benefits offered for solar power plant construction in Ukraine are an accessible procedure to calculate the cost of connection to grid facilities and a simplified procedure to obtain building permits.

The mission of the company is to ensure sustainable development in the construction of solar power plants in Ukraine and abroad. The company is a reliable general contractor for the construction of high-complexity facilities and solar power plants.

Thanks to effective organization and a coordinated team, we are fully responsible for the implementation of projects within the contract period together with high quality work and compliance with agreed budgets.

We build long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with customers, delivering energy transition to Ukraine – Valerii Nytchenko, CEO, Enerho-Syla Group LLC

The company has its own heavy equipment park and electrotechnical laboratory, which allows providing a full cycle of construction works.

works Kyiv, at any time of street, the year, Ukraine, Zdolbunivska 7D in particular, in winter at low temperatures Warehouse and manufacturing facility: and in autumn during the rainy season, Ukraine, Kyiv region, Baryshivka, which makes it possible to reduce the Tsentral’na street, 126 payback period. e-mail: vn.nytchenko@gmail.com The experience and professionalism of the design team minimize the construction time of energy facilities.

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The company is a reliable partner and general contractor of MacDonald’s chain. The firm performed civil works, finishing works, arrangement of utility services, furniture installation structures, landscaping for the first MCDonald's in Ukraine located along the Boryspil highway.

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Dressing rooms and shower rooms are equipped with underfloor heating

ENERHO-SYLA GROUP furniture structures for several restaurant projects in Kyiv.

Head office: 7D Zdolbunivska Street, Kyiv, Ukraine

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turkey in ukraine

Turkish Chamber of Commerce opens Southern Ukraine Representative Office TUID has the most extensive regional network among Ukraine’s national chambers of commerce

The Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association, TUID, began the autumn 2021 business season with the opening of a new Southern Ukraine Representative Office in Odesa. Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere and TUID president Burak Pehlivan joined representatives of Ukraine’s burgeoning Turkish business community and international colleagues in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city to unveil the new branch, which will be headed by Ayhan Akbaba.

TUID currently boasts the most extensive regional network of representative offices among the many national chambers of commerce active in Ukraine. In addition to the recently opened Southern Ukraine Representative Office in Odesa, the Turkish chamber also has a Western Ukraine Representative Office in Lviv and a Head Office in Kyiv. TUID also maintains individual representative branches in Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Vinnytsia, Lviv, and Odesa.

This broadening national network reflects TUID’s own expansion. Despite the disruption to the global business climate caused by the coronavirus pandemic, TUID welcomed 30 new members during 2020 and a further 26 in the first nine months of 2021, taking the organization’s total membership to more than 200 companies. TUID’s growth is in line with the deepening trade and investment relationship between Turkey and Ukraine. In 2020, Turkey took first place among sources of foreign investment into Ukraine, while bilateral trade grew by more than forty percent year-on-year during January-August 2021.

With economic ties between the two Black Sea neighbors continuing to strengthen, TUID president Burak Pehlivan believes the opening of the Turkish chamber’s Southern Ukraine Representative Office is well timed. “This will allow us to increase our focus on the logistics of growing bilateral trade and the development of port infrastructure throughout southern Ukraine,” notes Pehlivan.

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www.bunews.com.ua

Pekintaş Group now has a total of 73 MW built-in solar investments in Ukraine. We foresee that Ukraine’s economy will keep growing in 2022 especially with the governments' key reforms on fiscal consolidation. Ukraine keeps attracting our attention with its economically developing nature as a country and we hope to further invest in solar energy, with a short-term goal of reaching 100 MW in total built power.

Pekintaş Group provides Turnkey Solutions

Sandwich Panels, Trapezoidal Steel Sheets, Cold Room Panels

PV Module Production, Project Development Design & Construction

Prefabricated Steel Solutions and Pre-Engineered Modular Solution Systems

Yearly Production 10.000 ton structural steel 5.000 ton wire mesh for the construction of 600.000 m²/year, 50.000 m³ precast concrete

Yearly Production 5.000.000 m² sandwich panels 6.000.000 m² sheets

Yearly Production 500 MW PV module production, Half-Cut & 11 BB Technology

Yearly Production 150.000 m² Modular Buildings 200.000 m² Prefabricated Containers

Total Reference 10 Million m² Buildings

Total Reference 100 Million m² Panels & Sheets

Total Reference 1000 MW (1GW+) PV modules

Total Reference 1.2 million m² Buildings & Containers

Pre-Fabricated and Pre-Stressed Concrete Systems, Steel C&Z Beams

www.pekintasgroup.com

turkey in ukraine

Turkish construction giant supports cycling in Ukraine The Tour de Onur was launched in 2020 and takes place in the Carpathian Mountains and Lviv

In late September and early October 2021, cyclists from across Ukraine and a number of other regional countries gathered in western Ukraine to take part in the second Tour de Onur. Launched in 2020 by Turkey-based international company Onur Group, this annual event is part of efforts to help popularize cycle sports in Ukraine and promote healthy living while also showcasing some of the country’s most spectacular nature to visiting foreign participants.

This year’s Tour de Onur attracted more 40

than 300 participating cyclists and featured a number of stages in the picturesque but challenging surroundings of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains, with each day involving grueling climbs to heights of close to 1000 meters along routes of between 25km and 113km. This was then followed by a day of city racing in the center of historic Lviv.

In order to guarantee smooth racing surfaces, the Tour de Onur takes place each year exclusively on roads that have been built or reconstructed by Onur Group.

The Tour de Onur is the brainchild of Onur Group Chairman Onur Cetinceviz, who has maintained a lifelong enthusiasm for cycling ever since beginning his career in a bicycle rental and repair shop in Ankara. It is one of the most ambitious cycling events on the Ukrainian sporting calendar at a time when cycle sports are becoming increasingly popular in the country and Ukrainian cities are gradually introducing bicycle lanes to accommodate a growing number of cyclists. www.bunews.com.ua

Ukrcons has been helping investors from around the world adapt to Ukraine’s business environment since 2010. Ukrkons offers a range of professional services including comprehensive assistance in the process of opening a company in Ukraine. We perform accounting and auditing services in accordance with international standards and provide a full range of legal support. Ukrcons also offers investment and business consulting services.

Office 8 20 Pushkinska Street Kyiv Ukraine

Ukrcons provides high-quality and prompt business solutions at competitive rates. We tailor our approach to the specific needs of each individual client while analyzing the market in order to make sure our clients reach their full potential in Ukraine. Thanks to ten years of experience in Ukraine, we can guarantee professional support and are proud to have a large number of regular customers who demonstrate their trust in us. Our reputation speaks for itself.

Office 4 36 Shevchenkivskyy Avenue Lviv Ukraine

+380935616161 +380639616161 ukrcons@hotmail.com ukrconskiev@gmail.com

turkey in ukraine

Turkish agency fosters cooperation and supports Ukraine’s development Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency TIKA has been active in Ukraine since 1997

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s technical cooperation agency, TIKA, has been active in Ukraine since 1997. Throughout more than two decades in Ukraine, TIKA has carried out over 500 projects across the country in a wide range of fields including education, healthcare, social infrastructure, capacity building, and the preservation of cultural heritage, with a total budget of around USD 43 million.

An overview of TIKA projects provides an indication of the diverse areas where the organization is active in Ukraine and the scope of its efforts to make a positive contribution to the country’s progress. In western Ukraine, TIKA has provided a range of technical support at a Lviv care home for the elderly to improve the quality of care on offer. In particular, conditions were improved to help meet the needs of residents with mobility issues.

TIKA is also active in its support for the development of the Ukrainian education sector. Flagship projects include the agen42

cy’s ongoing cooperation with the Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. In partnership with the university authorities, TIKA has established a range of facilities including a fully equipped Simultaneous Translation Training Laboratory, Smart Classroom, Turkish Information and Research Center, and Crimean Tatar Cultural Center. In recent years, TIKA has undertaken the renovation of the building housing the university’s history faculty.

Healthcare is a key focus of TIKA activities in Ukraine. These efforts have included technical upgrades at Children’s Hospital No. 4 in Kyiv. Thanks to support from TIKA, the hospital now has specialized facilities for the treatment of children diagnosed with conditions related to the nervous system, and is able to provide free care to patients.

Cultural heritage is another priority issue for Turkey’s cooperation and coordination agency in Ukraine. In 2009-2010, TIKA completed restoration works on the Zindzhirli Madrasa

and the tomb of Haci Giray Khan in Crimea.

The historic Zindzhirli Madrasa building was constructed in 1500 by Mengli Giray Khan I, the son of the founder of the Crimean Khanate. It served as an important focus for cultural life in the Crimean Khanate as a location for the training of scholars and is regarded as one of the oldest educational institutions in Eastern Europe.

Alongside healthcare, education, and heritage initiatives, TIKA is also active in the field of humanitarian support. In response to the challenging conditions created since spring 2020 by the global coronavirus pandemic, the Turkish agency has taken part in efforts to support vulnerable communities throughout Ukraine. TIKA has distributed aid parcels containing food products to more than 2000 Ukrainian families who have been negatively impacted by the quarantine measures introduced to help combat the pandemic. This support has focused on low income families with children. www.bunews.com.ua

ETIYA Exceed Everyday Etiya is a leading software company providing customer experience focused on AI-driven Digital Transformation with its own award-winning product portfolio.

Founded in 2004, Etiya has more than 1,200 employees and offices in 3 continents and 7 countries.

Etiya’s microservice-based architecture, DevOps methodology and AI-driven portfolio provide a competitive advantage to its customers by bringing agility and flexibility into their business.

Etiya provides turn-key, end-to-end digital transformation to many customers worldwide from different sectors including telecom, finance, and retail.

36 Shchyretska Street 57 Sknylivska Street Lviv Oblast, 79000 +38-095-845-0674

turkey in ukraine

Turkey marks Republic Day in Ukraine Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere welcomed Ukrainian friends and partners along with members of the Kyiv international community to a reception at the Hilton Hotel in the Ukrainian capital on 29 October to mark Turkey’s

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annual Republic Day celebrations. The Republic Day national holiday commemorates the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, which took place 98 years ago on 29 October 1923.

Photography: Oleksandr Avramenko/lifecell

www.bunews.com.ua

LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM UKRAINE Agro Drive Logistics Services has been active in the logistics sector in the CIS region for a decade and has ranked as the fastest growing company in its field in Ukraine for the past two years. Today, the company occupies leading positions in the agriculture and renewable energy logistics sectors.

Agro Drive has three cargo terminals with a total storage capacity of 50,000 tons, including one bounded facility within Odesa city limits. “In 2020, our expert team handled 7,000 containers, 500,000 tons of bulk cargo, 6000 land transportations, 2000 customs operations, 1,500 wagons, and 24 project shipments. This year, we have already surpassed this performance,” says Agro Drive Founder Ayhan Akbaba. “We have particular expertise in agriculture, renewable energy, construction projects, mining transportation, pallet storage and distribution services for the retail sector.

Agro Drive offers logistics solutions for international transformation to and from Ukraine.”

AGRO DRIVE INVITES NEW INVESTORS TO INDUSTRIAL PARK IN ODESA REGION Ayhan Akbaba is excited by Agro Drive’s Industrial Park project, which is located next to Ukraine’s largest bulk terminal and second largest container terminal, Yuzhny Port. The first two stages of the park feature 70,000 sqm. Half of the project is already occupied by foreign and Ukrainian corporate investors. Agro Drive provides water, electricity and road connections, along with the necessary permits for the factory or warehouse you wish to build. Construction takes six months following contract signing. Akbaba is confident that an anticipated Turkey-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement will boost growing bilateral trade to the USD 10 billion target set by the presidents of both countries.

Ayhan AKBABA

Chairman of the Board of Directors, DEIK/ DTIK Ukraine South Ukraine Representative of the Turkish Ukrainian Business Association Agro Drive Logistics Services Founder

turkey in ukraine

A little corner of Turkey in the Ukrainian capital The Yunus Emre Institute in Kyiv offers Ukrainians a window on Turkish language and culture

The Yunus Emre Institute in the heart of Kyiv is one of Turkey’s 60 international cultural centers located around the world. Since its establishment in the Ukrainian capital in October 2017, it has promoted Turkish heritage, language and culture, while also contributing to friendly bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine. The Institute has organized various cultural events and academic conferences as well as a range of Turkish language courses, while also providing educational support to local schools and institutes teaching Turkish.

The Institute is named after Yunus Emre, a great Turkish poet who lived in Anatolia in the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. His poetry is regarded as deeply philosophical. To mark the seven hundredth anniversary of his death, the Yunus Emre Institute in Kyiv organized and hosted a number of special academ46

ic conferences and cultural events along with culinary workshops where participants were able to explore the process of preparing the traditional Turkish “baklava” dessert.

The Yunus Emre Institute in Kyiv offers the chance for Ukrainians to pass the International Exam of Turkish Language (TYS) to determine language proficiency in Turkish as a foreign language. Successful candidates who pass the exam are provided with a Turkish Language Proficiency Certificate.

The Institute conducts Turkish language courses including all levels from entry (A1) to advanced (C1). Since 2018, more than 700 people have taken part in these language courses. Beginning in 2020, the Institute made it possible to study Turkish online, which allows people from different parts of Ukraine to join the language courses on offer at the Yunus Emre Institute.

The Institute also provides educational materials and supports the Turkic Languages teaching departments at a range of Ukrainian institutes of higher education including Kyiv’s Taras Shevchenko National University, the Kyiv Linguistic University, Lviv Ivan Franko University, Odesa National Mechnikov University, Kharkiv National Skovoroda University, and many others. The Yunus Emre institute also cooperates with a growing number of Ukrainian secondary schools including Kyiv’s No. 1 Gymnasium of Oriental Languages.

The Institute has recently launched Turkish language courses for younger children of different ages starting from just four years old.

During these courses, youngsters have the chance to learn the basics of the Turkish language while also becoming acquainted with Turkish culture and traditions. www.bunews.com.ua

The company’s qualified personnal are active in the production of wood products including wood veneer and lumber from white and red oak, beech, alder, birch, maple, ash, fir, and American walnut. Our services include the cutting, drying, sorting, and packaging of wood, along with domestic and international logistics solutions following preparation of untreated wood using the latest technologies.

Thanks to an emphasis on quality, the company has achieved significant success and has established itself in 22 countries where it exports its products. The company remains committed to the core principles of high quality, impeccable service, timely delivery, and affordable prices.

Wood Industries LLC will continue to provide high quality services while annually renewing its FSC-COC Certificate of Forestry issued by the Forest Supervisory Board.

8 Gnizdychivska Street Zhydachiv Zhydachivskiy district Lviv region, Ukraine

Tel: +38 (03239) 24347 Tel: +38 (03239) 24348

www.woodindustries.com.ua www.woodind.com.ua info@woodind.com.ua

turkey in ukraine

Strong Ukraine-Turkey partnership holds the key to Black Sea security Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba believes today’s strengthening strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey can counter the threat posed by Russia and help guarantee the future security of the Black Sea region

About the author: Dmytro Kuleba is Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs As NATO mulls over its strategy in the Black Sea region and seeks to ensure stability and security in what is an increasingly turbulent environment, Ukraine and Turkey are providing a model worth emulating by actively strengthening their strategic partnership via deepening political, military, and technical cooperation.

This partnership includes an intensive and fruitful political dialog between Turkish and Ukrainian leaders strengthened by the 2+2 Quadriga format of political and security consultations involving the two countries’ ministers of foreign affairs and defense. Priority cooperation initiatives currently include large infrastructure projects and the joint production of Turkish Bayraktar drones, while plans are also evolving to unite efforts in the production of Ukrainian Antonov aircraft.

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Both Ukraine and Turkey have strong militaries. Turkey ranks as NATO’s second largest army, while Ukraine is one of the alliance’s key allies in the region with a record of successfully countering Russian hybrid aggression for over seven years. The Turkish and Ukrainian militaries both have a wide range of active units with vast combat experience. Unlike any current NATO member state, Ukraine also has unique experience of direct combat engagement with modern Russian forces.

United Against Russian Occupation Ukraine and Turkey are on the same page regarding the Russian occupation of Crimea, with both nations committed to policies of non-recognition. Ankara is one of Kyiv’s most important partners in the recently : www.bunews.com.ua

CP Turkey now in Ukraine Leading international feed, food, and farm company CP Group is proud to announce that it is entering the Ukrainian market

cpturkiye.com

Turkey has been among the most prominent supporters of Ukraine’s Crimea Platform iniative, which was launched in August 2021 with an inaugural summit meeting in Kyiv attended by representatives of over 40 countries including Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

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initiated Crimea Platform, a new international format launched in August 2021 that aims to counter the security, economic, environmental, cultural, and human rights threats emanating from the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula, and to ultimately bring this occupation to an end.

It is clear that the Russian militarization of occupied Crimea has significantly undermined the security situation in the wider Black Sea region.

This is not only a Ukrainian problem. On the contrary, it creates major security challenges with regional and global implications.

According to current estimates, Russia has increased its military presence in Crimea threefold since 2014. Moscow has flooded the occupied peninsula with military hardware, including highly sophisticated weapons systems that pose a threat to countries throughout the Black Sea region and deep into Central Europe. The Kremlin also uses Crimea as a bridgehead for its expanding military activities in the Middle East and Africa.

Russia exploits the occupation of Crimea to interfere with international maritime trade while threatening cornerstones of maritime law including freedom of navigation. Ukraine is currently working on holding Russia accountable in the international courts for violating these principles.

Meanwhile, there is credible evidence that Russia is also engaged in violating the nuclear-free status of Crimea by refurbishing the long-concealed Soviet-era nuclear facilities of Feodosia-13 and deploying nuclear carriers to the peninsula. If confirmed, this would make the ongoing militarization of Crimea a truly global threat.

Taking all these security factors into account, the Ukrainian authorities believe there is a strong argument to be made for enhanced maritime cooperation between NATO and Ukraine in the Black Sea. These concerns also help to explain why Turkey is willing to strengthen its naval posture in the region and is currently engaged in the process of enhancing security cooperation with Ukraine.

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turkey in ukraine

www.bunews.com.ua

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turkey in ukraine

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Historic Ties & Modern Partnership

30 Years of Diplomatic Relations

Ukraine and Turkey are already working closely together to ensure security and stability in the Black Sea region. This partnership makes strategic sense for both parties. As two large nations dominating the northern and southern shores of the Black Sea, Ukraine and Turkey are natural regional partners in the security sphere.

Ukraine and Turkey have a long and rich history of bilateral relations that stretches back for many centuries. During the Cossack epoch, Ukrainians often entered into military and diplomatic alliances with the Ottoman Empire, while also frequently finding themselves on opposing sides.

Recent years have seen the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey reach the highest level in the three decades since Ukraine restored its independence in 1991. These strengthening ties owe much to the excellent personal relations between presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Another important cornerstone of today’s deepening partnership is the presence of strong Crimean Tatar communities in both Ukraine and Turkey. We commend President Erdogan for his personal involvement in freeing a number of Ukrainian political prisoners, Crimean Tatars, from Russian captivity.

Ukraine and Turkey are truly friends in need. When Turkey fought devastating wildfires in summer 2021, Ukraine immediately decided to offer help.

Kyiv dispatched two large firefighting Antonov aircraft and a number of specialized helicopters to Turkey. Ukrainian firefighters worked night and day to extinguish fires and keep them away from tourist areas.

Our Turkish friends were very impressed with the capabilities of Ukraine’s firefighting Antonov planes. During the most recent meeting with my Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Lviv in October 2021, he expressed Turkey’s interest in Antonov aircraft. Ukraine welcomes this interest and is ready to explore the possibilities for joint Antonov plane production and international export.

With the climate crisis escalating, the threat of wildfires in Turkey and dozens of other countries around the globe looks like it is here to stay, along with increased demand for firefighting aviation. This makes the proposed aviation industry cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine strategically appealing. We plan to discuss this topic in more depth during our next Quadriga meeting of foreign and defense ministers, which will take place in December 2021 in Ankara.

Next year, Ukraine and Turkey will celebrate 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. To mark this occasion, we plan to hold the next session of the Strategic Council between Ukraine and Turkey under the co-chairmanship of both presidents.

A number of agreements and documents are currently being prepared ahead of next year’s Strategic Council. Both sides see the February 2022 meeting as an opportunity to finally sign the long-awaited Turkish-Ukrainian free trade agreement following years of negotiations.

Once in force, this free trade deal will significantly boost already strong trade ties between the two Black Sea nations and facilitate the establishment of new business links. With bilateral trade steadily growing, we also plan to hold a joint intergovernmental trade and economic commission in the near future.

Needless to say, Turkey and Ukraine have much more in common than burgeoning trade, growing cooperation in the military and technical spheres, and a shared commitment to ending the Russian occupation of Crimea.

As my recent talks with Mevlut Cavusoglu demonstrated, there is a lot of room for facilitating people-to-people contacts and deepening cultural and academic ties. With this in mind, we have agreed to establish a joint commission on historical research under the auspices of the Turkish and Ukrainian foreign ministries.

Foreign Policy Priority Southern influences have always played a prominent role in the shaping of Ukrainian foreign policy, and this remains very much the case today.

In summer 2021, President Zelenskyy initiated the adoption of a National Foreign Policy Strategy, the first such high-level strategy document in the thirty years since Ukraine regained its independence.

This newly adopted document clearly defines Turkey as one of Ukraine’s most important strategic partners. It identifies a number of key focuses in the relationship such as free trade, military and technological partnership, and cooperation on large infrastructure projects.

Priority areas in the deepening strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey include strengthening security cooperation in the Black :

The strengthening Turkish-Ukrainian strategic partnership is a good example of how expanding cooperation between NATO and non-NATO allies is not only feasible but also highly efficient and mutually beneficial 52

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RESPECT FOR SOCIETY AND NATURE TURKEY’S TRADITIONAL DRINK Ayran, which is known as Turkey’s favorite summer drink, is made by diluting yoghurt with water and adding a touch of salt, producing the most amazing and refreshing flavor. This Turkish drink serves as an ideal complement to grilled meat dishes. Ayran not only accompanies any meal but is drunk as a refreshing drink by itself, especially during summer months. It is one of the simplest and the healthiest of cold drinks.

HISTORY OF AYRAN Ayran has deep roots in Turkish culture dating back to Central Asia. The word comes from the Turkish word yoghurt, which itself derives from the verb yogurtmak, which means to blend, a reference to how yoghurt is made.

Five thousand years ago, nature gathered all its beneficial nutrients into yoghurt as a gift to man-

kind. In the ensuing centuries, the Turks, who lived in Central Asia, created milk and yoghurt with their own hands.

The famous Scythian epic “Kutadgu Bilik” told the secret of yoghurt. The Ottoman Empire then created a unique flavor with ancestral heritage.

Yoghurt became an indispensable part of the famous Ottoman Kitchen, and was introduced to the Western world in the beginning of the 20th century. This is why the Turkish word “yoghurt” is used around the world.

ONUR YOGHURT’S SECRET The great taste of ONUR’s yoghurt comes from its high-quality milk, collected from villages with the healthiest cattle. This milk is kept in extremely hygienic conditions and passes through 22 strict control stages before arriving at your table.

ONUR’S LACTOSE-FREE AYRAN There are communities worldwide that cannot digest lactose. Studies show that up to 10% of the Ukrainian adult population is lactose-intolerant. ONUR’s lactose-free Ayran ensures that this drink can be easily enjoyed and digested thanks to its special formula.

ONUR FRESH KASHAR CHEESE Onur Fresh Kashar Cheese reigns supreme in the kitchen. It is known as a tasty favorite that can be served sliced at breakfast, grated in cooked dishes, and incorporated into all kinds of baked treats for visiting guests. Its unique flavor enhances toast, pizzas, and pasta dishes. Onur Fresh Kashar is a semi-firm type of natural cheese, which is made from pasteurized cows milk.

ONUR products are available at all retail chains in Ukraine

turkey in ukraine

: Sea region (with potentially heightened NATO involvement), Turkey’s ongoing engagement in the development of the Crimea Platform, and further joint efforts to protect the rights of the Crimean Tatars.

Black Sea Region Security Ukraine and Turkey are developing a clear vision for the future security of the Black Sea region. It is time for NATO to begin viewing this Ukrainian-Turkish partnership as a valuable supplementary force that can help provide security and stability in the region.

Only the joint efforts of NATO allies including Turkey, together with the Associated Trio nations of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, will make it possible to prevent the Black Sea from falling under Russian dominance and becoming subject to Moscow’s destabilizing activities.

The earlier we send a clear signal to the Kremlin regarding our resolve and unity, the better. Nobody needs a conflict in the Black Sea. Indeed, the only power willing to provoke any fresh confronta-

tions in the region is Russia. In the current security environment, projecting strength is the best way to deter Moscow and avoid any new escalations.

An increased NATO presence in the Black Sea neighborhood will significantly lower tensions and stabilize the region, not vice versa.

Ukraine has been dealing with the Russians for a long time and understands their reasoning very well. The Russian leadership escalates only when they sense weakness. There is nothing more inviting from a Russian perspective than the indecisiveness of their adversaries.

At the same time, Russia respects strength and will not risk an escalation when they are confident of the other side’s resolve. This is exactly why Ukraine is calling for a greater NATO presence in the Black Sea region and expanding cooperation between NATO and non-NATO allies. The Turkish-Ukrainian strategic partnership is a good example that such cooperation is not only feasible but also highly efficient and mutually beneficial.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pictured with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu during October 2021 talks in Lviv that included a focus on the planned future joint production of Turkish armed drones in Ukraine

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“ We maintain our market leadership in Ukraine” Sinan Şen, Founder of Unice Multibrand Company Sinan Şen is one of the most successful Turkish business people who created his own cosmetics brand in Ukraine. Şen managed to create a success story in a challenging sector such as cosmetics in a highly short time in Ukraine, where he came to live 10 years ago. Proceeding his rapid progress in the cosmetics industry, Şen brought the «multi-brand» approach to the multi-level marketing world in 2017 and established the Unice Multibrand Company in Ukraine, resulting in becoming the industry leader in the country in a short time.

prices are almost the same as in stores. This gives us the opportunity for rapid growth and a successful organization. We provide both career and earning opportunities. We work with the most distinguished Turkish companies. We also buy the best quality products from other countries and include them in our catalog.

What are your future goals?

We have established UNICE Turkey. Germany, Poland, and Romania are our next target countries to expand the horizons of the company. We desire to continue to be number one in multi-level marketing in Ukraine for the long term by providing stability.

Can you talk about yourself briefly? How long have you been living in Ukraine?

I am 55 years old. I studied at Istanbul University Press and Broadcasting School. I have been in Ukraine since the early 2000s. Firstly, I entered this sector as a half partner of Farmasi Company in Ukraine. I then founded my own company, UNICE. I have two children, a son and a daughter.

What position does UNICE Company occupy in the Ukrainian cosmetics industry today?

UNICE is currently the market leader in Ukraine. We sell via the multi-level marketing technique. Our company is the most profitable, active, and dynamic company. We establish a sensation in every catalog period, especially with our wonderful Turkish-made cosmetic products.

Can you explain the multi-level marketing technique briefly?

We issue product catalogs and renew these catalogs periodically. We find sales consultants through these catalogs and produce leaders and sponsors among sales consultants. In this way, we can reach the deepest and most secluded parts of the market.

In this type of marketing, people’s personal environment is mostly considered while selling.

These people are also motivated by abundant earnings and career prospects. We offer a

lot of career opportunities. Careers that start with consulting offer a pathway to becoming a «business partner», «top partner», and «manufacturer partner». Then the directorship begins, and it continues as “silver director”, “gold director”, “platinum director”, “emerald director”, and “diamond director”. Then there come the crowned positions. We are planning a career with about 20 steps. We provide great earning opportunities in accordance with different stages along this career pathway.

What is the secret behind Unice’s success?

Our main principles are sincerity, honesty, and total peace. We also do not compromise on the win-win rule. Our products are highly innovative and high quality. Furthermore, we sell our products at very affordable prices.

We have a very high quality and wide selection of products. Our catalog contains 320 pages and approximately 2 thousand items. All these products are always available in our stock. Our

How is the year of 2021 going for your company? How do you evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the Ukrainian economy?

We maintain our leading position very successfully and dynamically. I think the pandemic did not affect the Ukrainian economy much, at least there was no negative effect regarding our sector. The cosmetics industry is always dynamic and conducive to growth. I expect an abundance in the world economy soon.

How do you find the activities of the Turkish Business World in Ukraine?

I find Turkish business activities very successful in Ukraine. I am also proud to be a member of Turkish Business World. Burak Pehlivan, the Chairman of Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association, demonstrates highly efficient and successful management of the association.

As a successful business person who has been in this country for many years, what type of advice can you give to foreign business people who want to do business in Ukraine?

Ukraine is a growing economy with high potential that might soon become a member of European Union. I invite everyone invest in Ukraine.

Setting and achieving sustainability goals Sustainability has become a necessity for business, but not all companies have a sustainability strategy that offers a vision, objectives, and roadmaps to advance sustainability across the business. We reviewed the experience of Coca-Cola HBC in Ukraine in setting and achieving its sustainability goals.

Coca-Cola HBC has a long history of setting sustainability goals and tracking the respective progress. This progress is reflected in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index which, in 2021, ranked Coca-Cola HBC as the world’s most sustainable beverage company for the 5th time in the last 7 years.

The company has been defining its plans to improve key environmental indicators annually. In 2018, Coca-Cola HBC communicated their sustainability commitments publicly in a transparent and simple way by launching its Mission 2025.

The Mission Sustainability 2025 approach is based on the company’s stakeholder materiality matrix and is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Coca-Cola HBC has highlighted six key focus areas to reflect its value chain: reducing emissions; water use reduction and stewardship; World Without Waste; ingredient sourcing; nutrition; people and communities. To advance toward achieving its sustainability goals, Coca-Cola HBC is constantly supporting social initiatives and communities, modernizing its production, caring for people, evolving its portfolio to provide more diet, light and zero-calorie drinks, and implementing its World Without Waste strategy.

Clearly, sustainability must be integrated into every aspect of the business if the strategy is to be implemented successfully. Setting the goals and strategy is just the first step. Tracking the progress towards the goals is an even more important stage in the implementation of the sustainability strategy. Let’s highlight some of the key achievements Coca-Cola HBC has made towards Mission 2025.

national companies united by ACC announced the creation of the Extended Producer Responsibility organization.

Moreover, Coca-Cola, with other 4 companies, has supported implementation of waste sorting pilot project in Vyshhorod by the Ukrainian Packaging and Environmental Coalition (UkrPEC) that has been running since 2017.

This year, a system of separate waste collection has been introduced and a sorting line has been launched in Velyka Dymerka in the Brovary district of Kyiv region with the support of the Coca-Cola Foundation. Furthermore, in 2021, at the Ukrainian Antarctic “Akademik Vernadsky” station, equipment for plastic recycling was installed with the support of Coca-Cola HBC in Ukraine.

People & Communities Coca-Cola HBC has a commitment to train a total of 1 million young people in all 29 countries in which it operates, scaling up its #YouthEmpowered program. In Ukraine Coca-Cola has already helped 147 thousand school students to prepare for finals by having developed the free educational platform iLearn together with the NGO Osvitoria since 2015.

Emissions reduction According to the statistics for 2020, in Ukraine, greenhouse gas emissions declined by 8.9% compared to 2019. Refrigerators running on Freons with a lower negative environmental impact account for 37% of those on the market.

Nutrition The share of no-calorie and low-sugar beverages in the total sales of Coca-Cola in Ukraine was 26,5% in 2020.

Water reduction and stewardship World Without Waste According to the statistics for 2020, 43% of the packaging released onto the market by Coca-Cola, i.e. 9,297 tons, was collected and sent for recycling. All packaging of Coca-Cola products is recyclable.

The purpose of the World Without Waste strategy is to collect and recycle the equivalent of 100% of the primary packaging that Coca-Cola introduces to the market by 2030. The key factor that will determine the achievement of this goal is the introduction of the extended producer responsibility system. Thus, in May 2021, Coca-Cola HBC in Ukraine and 10 representatives of other inter-

The company is successfully introducing programs for reducing water use in its plants. In 2020, 1.72 liters of water are used to produce 1 liter of a drink, which is 4.4% less than in 2019 and 5.8% less than in 2018.

In 2020, with support of The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds restored 300,000 liters of water in Bobrove Lake in Nyzhnodniprovskyi National Nature Park.

Clearly, setting and achieving sustainability goals is predicated upon the long and arduous efforts of the entire business. But the long-term growth of any company should be accompanied by advancements in sustainability.

Andy Hunder, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine: “It’s great to see an upbeat forecast from the vast majority of AmCham members on their companies’ financial health in 2021. But the business is unanimous – 93% of companies prioritize judicial reform and rule of law as the #1 strategic step for Ukraine’s Government to take for economic growth, business climate improvement, and attracting top-caliber FDI. We will continue to vigorously push for rule of law, and protection of investors’ rights, making Ukraine a better and more secure place to do business.”

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, jointly with AmCham member company Citi Ukraine, conducted Ukraine Business Climate Survey last month. The Survey’s primary goal is to equip members with present-day business trends, state of investment climate, COVID-related outcomes and help navigate the new business season. It may also help to identify significant concerns and obstacles for AmCham members with regard to doing business over the next six months, forecasts on their companies’ financial and organizational health, and key priorities Government should focus on.

100 CEOs and top managers of AmCham member companies took part in the Survey, conducted on August 25 – September 15, 2021. The majority of the respondents (77%) are CEOs.

90% of business representatives give an upbeat forecast on their companies’ financial health at the end of 2021: 62% will achieve planned financial results, 28% will achieve more than was planned.

Only 10% of companies will fail to achieve intended financial results.

Respondents forecasted revenues, number of employees, and investments of their companies at the end of 2021. 59% of members hope to see an increase in revenues; 5% forecast a decrease.

52% of respondents indicate that their companies’ headcount will remain unchanged, 42% point out that their companies will increase the number of employees. 35% of businesses forecast an increase in investments, while 10% – a decrease.

AmCham members were also asked to compare their companies’ 2021 revenues, number of employees, and investments to 2020. 65% indicated an increase in revenues, 46% – increase in the number of employees, 37% – increase in investments.

93% of businesses stated that implementation of real and effective judicial reform, rule of law, fair justice, and eradication of corruption is #1 strategic step Ukraine’s Government should take first to achieve economic growth, improve the business climate, and attract Foreign Direct Investment.

Other top strategic steps are the following: guarantee a fair, equal, predictable, and transparent tax policy and fair competition (52%); ensure macroeconomic stability and continue cooperation with the IMF (26%); ensure predictability of the regulatory environment for investors (23%); secure investment and property rights (21%). Сourts (56%), law enforcement agencies (32%), oligarchs (28%), and tax authorities (28%) create the biggest obstacles for business.

Possibility of the new lockdown (61%), geopolitical uncertainty (53%), escalation of conflict with Russia (39%) were identified by business representatives as the top-3 major concerns with regard to doing business over the next six months. Among other problems – inability

to achieve planned financial results (29%), security of employees (22%), inability to invest (16%).

On average, 20%-50% of AmCham member companies’ employees have contracted COVID-19; 40%-70% are already vaccinated against COVID-19.

The business representatives were asked to indicate their companies’ current work formats.

74% of companies have a hybrid work format or work in shifts. 17% stated that all their companies’ employees returned to the office, in 9% of companies all employees continue to work remotely.

Vice-Chair of AmCham Ukraine Board of Directors, Country Officer and Corporate Banking Head of Citi Ukraine, Alexander McWhorter: “It is great to see companies shift their planning to the post-pandemic horizon and are able to achieve their goals despite ongoing challenges. The majority of respondents have said they will achieve planned financial results. Moreover, they expect that their revenues will increase going forward. I personally see a great deal of opportunity for economic growth in Ukraine. Recently, Citi Ukraine has launched Citi Commercial Bank (CCB), a dedicated business segment for serving the mid-sized companies with annual revenues from US $100 mln to US $0.5 bln. To service this market segment, we are building a new Kyivbased CCB team.”

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Ukraine Business Climate – latest survey results

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UKRAINE BUSINESS CLIMATE SURVEY

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RESULTS

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MEMBERS’ NEWS MEMBERSHIP

New members in 2021 – 76 The current number of members – 600+

1st in Ukraine 5G demo center powered by Ericsson

Ericsson launched the first in Ukraine 5G demo center in the city of Kyiv. The center is located in the office of Ericsson Ukraine, and combines a test laboratory and a demo studio with the company’s latest equipment and solutions. In the 5G demo center, industrial enterprises, mobile operators, innovation startups as well as other telecom market players will be able to learn and test 4G/5G solutions for both business and end-users.

Ericsson installed and fully integrated the main segments of 4G and 5G networks, deployed a standalone dedicated 5G network comprising a small footprint core, Router 6000 for

IP connectivity, and Ericsson Radio Dot System. The network operability is ensured in a continuous mode (24/7). This will allow to run tests swiftly, support the majority of scenarios, and organize demonstrations.

«5G networks will serve as a foundation for the future of the digital economy. High-quality digital infrastructure is needed by users, businesses, and governments. Investing in a 5G demo center in Ukraine, we have combined international expertise and the latest solutions from Ericsson to attract new opportunities for the development of innovations in the country,» comments Yaroslav Nitsak, Country Manager of Ericsson in Ukraine.

Ericsson is currently powering a total of 96 commercial 5G networks in 46 countries around the world, having signed 145 commercial 5G agreements and contracts with unique service providers. Ericsson has an industry-leading, end-to-end 5G portfolio spanning radio access, core, transport, and services.

McDonald’s first roadside restaurants at highway crossroads may welcome the guests already in 2022. The target here is travelers who are eager to have the meals of their love brand while on their way. Opening at the highways means developing a new segment of its stores for McDonald’s. The brand-new restaurants will be open either close to big filling stations or become a part of bigger hubs where travelers will have a chance to cover their immediate needs. The key criterion here in choosing the places for McDonald’s will be location and traffic, as it is elsewhere where the company opens its doors for consumers.

Expansion to the roadside format is a part of McDonald’s strategy aimed at fast development in Ukraine within the next few years.

Earlier this year, the company announced its plans to open more than ten new restaurants in 2021, including the regions it was not present yet, and keep the pace further on. Thus, this year first McDonald’s restaurants appeared already in Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, Bila Tserkva, Chernivtsi, Uzhhorod, Mariupol, Kropyvnytskyi, Chornomorsk are to follow soon.

McDonald’s to open its restaurants along highways in Ukraine

PandaDoc, the leading all-in-one document workflow automation platform, has reached $1 billion valuation with its latest financing round led by OMERS Growth Equity and G Squared, with participation from Altos Ventures, Rembrandt Venture Partners, One Peak Partners, and M12 (Microsoft).

Proceeds from Series C will enable PandaDoc to accelerate the transformation of document experiences that move work forward. PandaDoc delivers a competitive advantage to fast-growing companies to automate and scale document workflows, resulting in increased productivity, return on investment (ROI), and amazing customer experiences.

With more than 30,000 customers in 130 countries around the globe, PandaDoc has rapidly established itself as a market

leader in document automation, growing 80 percent in user count and 63 percent in revenue during the most recent year. The company’s “forever free” eSign product, launched at the start of the pandemic, is leveraged by hundreds of thousands of new users across industries. Leveraging PandaDoc’s all-in-one document workflow automation platform and eSign solution, customers rapidly digitize document processes to deliver secure and beautifully designed document experiences. Unlike legacy, static PDF, or filebased document management solutions, the future is dynamic documents that operate like apps, with automated workflows allowing for real-time editing, collaboration, insights, and speedy execution.

Sigma Software Labs finished accepting applications for the all-Ukrainian startups’ competition

Sigma Software Labs startup incubator team has finished accepting applications for the sixth season of the all-Ukrainian startup competition IT_EUREKA ‘21, which was founded by the Tempus educational program in 2014. Since that time, more than 2,000 participants have taken part in the program with more than 750 innovative projects. Today IT_EUREKA is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

The main organizers are Swedish IT consulting company Sigma Software and the business accelerator Sigma Software Labs.

This year the application stage lasted for 2.5 months, and more than 70 teams applied with their own creative solutions in different areas: IT, education, sports, space, industry, medicine, fintech, security, real estate, agriculture, ecology, HoReCa, and so on.

Semi-finalist teams will join intensive online mentoring sessions with technical specialists, business experts, leading consultants in finance, marketing, investment, nd business. Participants will also gain knowledge

of competent and high-quality pitching, practice project presentations for representatives of investment funds, and create their own video for audience voting.

Following the example of last year, the final will be held online in December. Organizers provide participants with a chance to attract investment not only as the main prize but also from venture funds and business angels. Several teams will also be able to get special partner awards and join Sigma Software Labs inсubator using its secured space and infrastructure support in multiple locations throughout Ukraine: Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Vinnytsia.

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PandaDoc reaches unicorn status with $1 billion valuation

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NEW MEMBERS This month Almexoft became a member of the AmCham Ukraine. I’m grateful to the Board of Directors of AmCham Ukraine for the trust! By joint efforts with the IT Committee, we will achieve even greater results in terms of state regulations of electronic document management for business. We plan to work on standardization of electronic document management, liberalization of the rules for the use of Electronic Signature and Qualified Electronic Signature, and development of a single format for roaming legally significant electronic documents.

We want to share our experience of digital transformation of Ukrainian business, especially since some of the members of AmCham Ukraine are already effectively using AlmexECM to automate business processes and document management.

The main idea behind creating Sytecs in 2009 was transforming Ukrainian companies into modern and efficient enterprises by implementing high-tech solutions. During 12 years, many changes have occurred, the company has grown, but our mission remains the same for all those years. Now we realize that our team is strong enough to change not only our customers’ internal processes but also the internal business climate in Ukraine. We want to share our energy and expertise with AmCham Ukraine and become a part of the driving force that transforms the country.

CEO, Almexoft

Chief Executive Officer, Sytecs LLC

We are pleased to join the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. I think we will be helpful to each other. We will hold more than one successful event together. We will present business relations with other members of AmCham Ukraine and work together to develop the Ukrainian-American trade market.

AmCham Ukraine became ever more influential over the recent years and has developed into a leading driver of changes, one of the most efficient in the country. I feel that full-fledged participation in business and social activities is impossible without membership in the AmCham Ukraine. Moreover, the current aspirations of the Ukrainian nation for democratic development indicate that the Western-led organizations are naturally predisposed to be in the vanguard of social evolution.

I hope that we will also contribute to the valuable efforts that AmCham Ukraine makes for the country.

Igor Prykhodko

Jacob Voronin

Lawyer, Doctor of Law; Founder, Yakiv Voronin Law Office

Andriy Chornyy

Oleksandr Zavadetskyi

Director, Zavadetskyi Advocates bureau

Dear Friends, With the beginning of autumn, we started the new business season. We are pleased to know that 90% of our member companies reported upbeat financial health in 2021, so businesses have solid ambitions for even bigger wins for the upcoming year. Although each business season has its novelties, difficulties, and peculiarities, something remains unchanged. AmCham is providing high-level support and service to our member companies by acting for their benefit. We, at AmCham Ukraine, will keep doing our best to make this autumn reward your business with fruitful partnerships, expanded networking, and financial successes.

Nataliya Chernova

AmCham Ukraine Business Development Director nchervona@chamber.ua

Don’t miss a chance to promote your brand and services, exchange discounts with fellow members, and use all AmCham benefits to the fullest. Check out the discounts for AmCham member companies.

SCAN QR CODE AND EXPLORE THE FULL LIST OF OFFERS Olena Ishchuk,

AmCham Junior Business Development oishchuk@chamber.ua

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M2M MEMBER TO MEMBER DISCOUNT PLATFORM

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B2G DIALOGUE Driving actionable dialogue between Business and Government MEETING WITH GEORGE P. KENT, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU OF EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE The discussion was focused on judicial reform achievements, transparent corporate governance, the visit of President Zelenskyy to Washington, D.C., U.S. investments, business climate, Nord Stream 2. Mr. Kent provided a broader policy perspective from Washington on U.S.-Ukraine bilateral relations, and business ties, U.S. assistance, and foreign policy priorities on Ukraine.

MEETING OF THE NATIONAL REFORMS COUNCIL AmCham Ukraine President Andy Hunder and Vice President Tetyana Prokopchuk took part in a joint meeting of the National Reforms Council and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the framework of All-Ukrainian Forum “Ukraine 30.

Decentralization”. Three topics of utmost importance for members were on the agenda: dimensional and weight control, concession in the healthcare sector, and Ukrainian seaports development.

MEETING WITH OLEKSIY LYUBCHENKO, FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER – MINISTER OF ECONOMY AmCham Ukraine leadership, Board of Directors members, and AmCham Ukraine members met with Oleksiy Lyubchenko. The meeting was focused on the highest priorities for business: understandable, predictable, and fair environment for business, level playing field, rule of law, macroeconomic stability, deshadowing of the economy, reform of the State Architectural and Construction Inspection. The participants also discussed the illicit trade, taxation and VAT refund process, inspections, agrologistics, access to innovative technologies and concessions in healthcare, Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products, protection of intellectual property rights, and waste management.

Meeting of the National Reforms Council

ROUND TABLE “UKRAINIAN PERSPECTIVE: THE VIEW OF MINISTERS OF ECONOMY OF INDEPENDENT UKRAINE” AmCham Ukraine President Andy Hunder took part in the high-level round table with Ministers of Economy of Independent Ukraine. The focused discussion was devoted to Ukraine’s development, macroeconomic stability, economic ups and downs during 30 years of Independence, possible ways to stimulate growth and spur investments.

MEETING WITH OLEKSII YUDIN, CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL DEPOSITORY The participants discussed the depository system of Ukraine and the leading role of the National Depository of Ukraine (NDU) in it.

Among other focuses of the meeting were: NDU’s ambitious plans on digitalization of services, increasing access to foreign securities, expanding financial instruments, and implementation of e-voting for general meetings of joint-stock companies.

KYIV INVESTMENT FORUM 2021 AmCham Ukraine Vice President Tetyana Prokopchuk moderated the panel discussion “Creative Transformation: Codes for the New Reality” at 2021 Kyiv Investment Forum. The speakers shared their views on the role of creative industries in forming the economic well-being of modern Kyiv, the main trends of their development, success factors, and ways to increase competitiveness.

MEETING WITH IHOR KUZIN, DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH - CHIEF STATE SANITARY DOCTOR AmCham members met with Ihor Kuzin to discuss further strengthening of quarantine restrictions, including the possibility of tightening quarantine measures due to the spread of COVID-19 Delta strain, possibilities of coronavirus strains localization in Ukraine, predictability, and validity of anti-epidemic measures in catering.

MEETING WITH YURII VASKOV AND ANNA YURCHENKO, DEPUTY MINISTERS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AmCham Ukraine members met with Yurii Vaskov and Anna Yurchenko to discuss progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine in the field of transport and infrastructure. Among other focuses were international investment projects that are being implemented by the Ministry and are being considered for implementation in the future, and other issues at the top of the business agenda.

MEETING WITH STATE LABOR SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES AmCham Ukraine members met with Igor Degnera, Deputy Head of the State Labor Service, and Olena Konovalova, Deputy Director of Department – Head of Labor Relations Unit of the State Labor Service. Participants discussed the completion of an information

campaign on undeclared labor and the beginning of an inspection campaign, prerequisites for a change in the approach to inspections, and criteria and methods for identifying objects for inspection.

MEETING WITH NATALIA RUBAN, FIRST DEPUTY HEAD OF THE STATE TAX SERVICE AmCham Ukraine members met with Natalia Ruban and the State Tax Service’s tax audit team to discuss the Draft Tax Audit Charter aimed at improving the cooperation between the tax authorities and taxpayers in terms of conducting tax audits, as well as current issues and recommendations for taxpayers regarding transfer pricing reporting.

MEETING WITH MYKOLA POVOROZNYK, FIRST DEPUTY HEAD OF KYIV CITY STATE ADMINISTRATION The discussion was focused on further strengthening of quarantine restrictions, particularly in Kyiv city, potential restrictions on public transport, issuance of special transport passes in Kyiv, and electronic system of their distribution.

MEETING WITH KRISTINA GOLUBYTSKA, DEPUTY MINISTER OF ECONOMY AmCham Ukraine members had the opportunity to discuss further steps and initiatives of the Ministry of Economy in the field of intellectual property rights and the status of the creation of the National Intellectual Property

Body. The parties also touched upon further role of state and business in fighting against piracy, in particular against Internet piracy, and the creation of a working group to finalize some provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of Rights to Inventions and Utility Models”.

ROUND TABLE “AGREEMENT ON CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS (ACAA) – A STEP TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REGULATION IN UKRAINE” During the event, representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economy, the Parliamentary Committee on Public Health, Medical Care and Medical Insurance, Ukrainian and international pharmaceutical manufacturers agreed on the necessity of signing ACAA and its advantages.

The participants also discussed the progress made, required next steps, and experience of other countries in signing ACAA with the European Union.

MEETING WITH OLEKSANDR KAMYSHIN, ACTING HEAD OF JSC “UKRZALIZNYTSIA” Traders of AmCham Ukraine Agricultural Committee met with Oleksandr Kamyshin to discuss logistics issues in the agricultural sector. During the meeting, participants discussed ensuring smooth export of grain cargoes, creating conditions for the availability of rolling stock sufficient number and accelerating its rotation. Among other discussion focuses were tariff regulation of railway freight transportation, routing expansion, and ensuring a transparent and fair distribution system of wagons between the market participants.

Round table “Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA) – a Step towards Improvement of Healthcare System Regulation in Ukraine”

Kyiv Investment Forum 2021

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B2G DIALOGUE

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B2G DIALOGUE MEETING WITH BETSY HAFNER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE FOR RUSSIA AND EURASIA AmCham members, together with the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, met with Betsy Hafner, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Russia and Eurasia, to discuss trade and investment challenges faced by companies, in particular, regulatory barriers to trade and the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. During the meeting, participants also discussed protecting investments and intellectual property rights, guaranteeing a level playing field for international investors, promoting exports, facilitating trade, and further improving import and export operations.

MEETING WITH DENYS MONASTYRSKYY, MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS AmCham Ukraine President Andy Hunder and AmCham member companies met with Denys Monastyrskyy to discuss the challenges that business faces with Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies. Examples of illicit trade, counterfeit, smuggling, contraband, raider attacks, intellectual property rights infringement, fraud, and theft were among the topics raised by businesses.

Following the focused discussion, the Ministry has promised to set up a new Office to work with businesses, build trust, and review unlawful cases.

Meeting with Denys Monastyrskyy, Minister of Internal Affairs

GR Professionals Network In October, AmCham Ukraine launched GR Professionals Network (GR Net). The brand-new platform’s primary goal is to unite the professional GR community, share and implement transparent GR practices in Ukraine based on international standards. The kick-off meeting was dedicated to best GR essential practices and examples of successful B2G dialogue. The speakers shared valuable tips on building effective GR strategies and delivering the voice of the business in the most efficient way.

In September 2021, AmCham Ukraine leadership – President Andy Hunder and Vice President Tetyana Prokopchuk – visited Uzhhorod, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Lviv together with representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. During the trip, AmCham Ukraine leadership, and Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the United States in Ukraine Kristina Kvien met with American companies that are successfully doing business in Zakarpattia - Jabil Circuit Ukraine, Flex Ukraine, and Gentherm. AmCham leadership also visited SE Karpaty and Aptiv company with four plants and 9000 employees across Ukraine. They also met with Mayor of Chernivtsi Roman Klichuk and his team to discuss investment opportunities and the promotion of Chernivtsi.

Andy Hunder and Tetyana Prokopchuk, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the United States in Ukraine Kristina Kvien and U.S. Embassy Ukraine representatives in Uzhhorod

Andy Hunder and Tetyana Prokopchuk with Mayor of Chernivtsi Roman Klichuk and his team

Communicating success stories of companies that have already invested in Ukraine is the best advertisement for attracting new investments, which positively affects the city’s image. AmCham Ukraine President Andy Hunder get this message across during the insightful business trip to Chernivtsi at the beginning of October. Andy Hunder delivered the voice of business and investors at the roundtable discussion “Homework for Bukovyna on Attracting Systemic Investments”, together with Alexander Lopatin, Founder and Managing Partner of ITW Systems group of companies, and Sergey Bostan, Head of the Department on Social-Economic Development and Strategic Planning of Chernivtsi City Council.

Together with investors and top experts, AmCham Ukraine President also spoke at Invest Forum Chernivtsi 2021 and shared the business community’s vision on the realities of attracting investments, creating opportunities, and building the image of the region. In the framework of the trip to Chernivtsi, Andy Hunder had the opportunity to visit Nebesna Sotnya Street, fully equipped with 45 energy-efficient lights by ITW Systems as a gift to the city, and the City of Goodness – the charity project aimed at providing shelter and support to homeless mothers, mothers from orphanages, and mothers crushed by domestic violence.

Andy Hunder at the Invest Forum Chernivtsi 2021

Andy Hunder visited the City of Goodness – women and children international support center

Roundtable Discussion: Homework for Bukovyna on Attracting Systemic Investments

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REGIONAL OUTREACH

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WELDI Business Breakfast “Discovering Life”

WELDI participants got together for the inspirational Business Breakfasts with Artemy Surin, founder of the ONE LIFE travel community, writer, and twice Guinness World Record holder. Artemy talked about traveling, revealed places of inspiration and renewal, and shared experiences on traveling within Ukraine and abroad.

AmCham Ukraine held its first autumn WELDI session with Megan Bouldin, Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and Nicolo Pome, General Manager of GSK Ukraine & Kazakhstan. WELDI-participants had an opportunity to learn how to drive positive change and ignite diversity and equity across the organization, be inclusive leaders, empower and engage the team at full blast.

WELDI STRATEGIC PARTNERS

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WELDI Business Breakfast “The Power of Inclusive Leadership: New Business Season”

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RECEPTION: HAPPY 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE, UKRAINE! AmCham Ukraine was delighted to gather members, partners, and friends for the festive outdoor reception on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence. The guests had an opportunity to spend a wonderful evening, enjoy tasty food, and share the common vision of free, independent, and prosperous Ukraine.

EXCLUSIVE PARTNER

PARTNERS

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SUMMER BLOOD DONATION DAY AmCham Ukraine was delighted to organize the traditional Summer Blood Donation Day. Blood donation is an amazing gift to people who need it in an emergency or for ongoing medical treatment. Over 15 liters of blood that can help to save 45 lives were collected during the event.

PREMIUM PARTNER

PARTNERS

AmCham Ukraine team participated in a super challenging Legion Run 2021. Legion Run is an up to 5km team-oriented run with 20+ obstacles of mud, fire, ice, and barbed wire. Nothing is impossible for AmCham Ukraine Dream Team.

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LEGION RUN 2021

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CSR Corporate Social Responsibility AmCham Ukraine CSR Hub unites businesses that promote corporate social responsibility to improve communities, the economy, and the environment. The CSR Hub connects like-minded professionals to build B2B relationships, cooperate, and share best practices.

Watch the videos of AmCham Ukraine CSR Hub meetings to learn how corporate social responsibility programs impact employees, the environment, and society as a whole.

SCAN TO WATCH

Online CSR Hub Meeting “Corporate Volunteering in Remote Work – to Be or Not to Be” Together with stellar CSR professionals – Kateryna Iurchenko (Deloitte), Anastasiia Voitkevych (Winner Group Ukraine), Olha Kudina (Coca-Cola HBC Ukraine), Anastasiia Slavianska (Pro Bono Club Ukraine), and Aziza Khamidova (EPAM Ukraine) the participants learned about various corporate volunteering formats in different sectors during the pandemic.

Online CSR Hub Meeting “Waste Sorting Culture. How Business Engages Customers and Consumers in Sorting” During the CSR Hub meeting with Alesya Mudzhyri (McDonald’s Ukraine), Eugenia Aratovska (No Waste Ukraine), Marina Solovyova (IDS Borjomi Ukraine) and Kateryna Iurchenko (Deloitte Ukraine), the participants discovered why waste management is essential and how to implement and accelerate green solutions to make our planet a better place for living.

AmCham Ukraine launched a video project on social media C-cтаємо S-свідомими R-разом. In the interviews, AmCham members share insights on what they are doing for their employees, Ukrainians, communities, environment, and Ukraine’s overall well-being.

SPEAKERS

Olesya Zhulynska Former Public Affairs & Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Ukraine

Yuliya Badritdinova General Manager of McDonald’s Ukraine and Treasurer of the AmCham Board of Directors

Chernyshova Nataliya General Manager at Mars Ukraine

Oleksandr Komarov President of Kyivstar

July - September 2021

B2G DIALOGUE • Parliament Adopted Draft Law #4662 on Possibility of Medicines’ Procurement via Managed Entry Agreements

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POLICY EVENTS

19

HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS

11

SUCCESS STORIES

B2B EVENTS

9

KNOWLEDGE SEMINARS AND WEBINARS

2

CSR HUB MEETINGs

• The Parliament supported cleansing of High Council of Justice while adopting Draft Law #5068

• The Parliament maintained reduced 14% VAT on transactions for supply of certain types of agricultural products

• The Parliament provided for the right of casting votes of international experts while adopting Draft Law #3711-d

BLOOD DONATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR Lenna Koszarny Horizon Capital

VICE-CHAIR Matteo Patrone EBRD

TREASURER Yuliya Badritdinova McDonald’s Ukraine

Jan Peter de Jong Microsoft Ukraine

VICE-CHAIR Alex McWhorter Citibank

SECRETARY & LEGAL ADVISOR Serhiy Chorny Baker McKenzie

Evgeniy Shevchenko Carlsberg Ukraine

Martin Werschlan Roche Ukraine

2

WELDI

2

EXPLORE THE CALENDAR OF AMCHAM EVENTS

BNC

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Embassy in Ukraine

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of State

U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

AmChams in Europe

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OFFICIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

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KEY NUMBERS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Ukraine’s expanding IT industry in focus as Credit Agricole unveils strategic vision New strategy document covering next four years aims to build on French bank’s existing strengths

About the interviewee: Carlos de Cordoue is the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board at Credit Agricole in Ukraine Credit Agricole has recently unveiled a strategic vision for the bank’s development in Ukraine up to and including 2025. The strategy aims to build on existing strengths while adapting to global challenges and the rapidly evolving Ukrainian business climate. The document, dubbed the “AIR Strategy” (“Ambitious, Innovative and Responsible”), identifies a range of core focuses as the Credit Agricole team in Ukraine looks ahead to 2025 and plots the bank’s course as the country navigates the new realities created by a changing economy and disruptive influences such as the Covid-19 global pandemic.

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Changing Times Carlos de Cordoue, the CEO and Chairman of the Management Board at Credit Agricole in Ukraine, acknowledges that the ongoing turbulence of late 2021 makes it a particularly difficult time to create a coherent vision for the coming four years. “We find ourselves dealing with a significant amount of unpredictability right now,” he notes. “This is not only in terms of Covid, but also geopolitics. We must contend with factors such as major fluctuations in energy prices.”

Emphasis on Agribusiness The resulting strategy document is designed to foster organic growth in key sectors of the Ukrainian economy where Credit Agricole already has a strong presence. One priority is consolidating the bank’s position in the agribusiness sector. This includes ambitious plans to increase the Credit Agricole share of the agribusiness financing market from the current level of around 10% to 15% by 2025. The bank will continue building long-term relationships with customers, offering them a combination of agricultural and financial expertise, as well as innovative solutions.

One of the main drivers in the agri-agro sector will be the bank’s leasing services, which have proven popular following a successful summer 2020 launch. The timing of this unveiling was ideal, with commodity prices currently high and agricultural businesses across Ukraine looking to upgrade their equipment parks with new tractors, combine harvesters, and other machinery. “The growth of leasing services is entirely in line with our long-term strategy,” notes Cordoue. “Financing of agricultural machinery is a key focus for the bank, and we are already leaders in Ukraine’s car loan market. We have created a special global offer for our customers thanks to the synergy between car loans and leasing business lines.”

Plans for a larger share of the agribusiness financing market also dovetail with the bank’s commitment to greater environmental responsibility. In partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Credit Agricole is currently offering financing on preferential terms to farming businesses for the leasing of green agricultural equipment incorporating energy-efficient technologies. In line with this emphasis on green financing, the new Credit Agricole strategy also incorporates pol-

icies to support the energy transition of clients, and anticipates a 10% share of the bank’s corporate portfolio dedicated to renewable energy.

Growing Ukrainian Middle Class One of the key trends identified in Credit Agricole’s new strategy is the role of Ukraine’s growing middle class as an engine for retail banking services. “We believe the future of retail banking will be driven by the expanding Ukrainian middle classes and have made the decision to focus on this segment as we expect the rapid growth of recent years to continue,” Cordoue says.

This expanding Ukrainian middle class is in many ways epitomized by the country’s booming IT industry. Cordoue speaks enthusiastically about the impressive development of the Ukrainian tech sector and the positive impact this is having on the wider economy. He notes the high salaries within the IT industry and anticipates that according to current estimates, the number of IT professionals in Ukraine could rise from the present level of around 200,000 to as many as half a million by 2025. “We think this sector will continue to develop and will be a major strength for the Ukrainian economy in the years ahead,” he comments.

banking

This disruption renders any attempt to forecast the future problematic, but Cordoue says the significance of the shifts in business culture that are currently taking place was a major factor in the decision to outline a new long-term development strategy for the bank. “When discussions first began in 2020 over Credit Agricole’s post-Covid plans, we started to notice how the banking market in Ukraine was changing alongside the behavior of clients. The way we work is also evolving, together with the kinds of banking services we use. In 2020, thanks to the CA+ mobile application launch, we made a digital leap that saved us two to three years. It was at this point that we decided to explore the idea of identifying our future priorities as a bank.”

Efforts to develop the recently unveiled strategy have been ongoing for seven months. In line with the Group, the process began in February and has involved the individual input of over 100 members of the Credit Agricole team in Ukraine during a series of more than 60 workshops. Cordoue says one of the most challenging aspects of strategy development was focusing energies on the bank’s core strengths and the segments where Credit Agricole enjoys a leadership position. “We had to avoid the understandable temptation to try and cover the entire market,” he notes.

Tailoring Offers For IT Professionals Understandably, Cordoue is keen to welcome this growing IT industry contingent to Credit Agricole. “We think Ukrainian IT professionals are interesting clients for our bank, not only because they are relatively wealthy individuals, but also because we can offer a range of banking products that closely match their needs, such as special tariff packages for IT as well as car and home financing tools. We see strong potential in the development of Ukrainian IT entrepreneurship, and we aim to contribute to the IT industry.”

In order to enhance Credit Agricole’s appeal within the Ukrainian tech sector, a tailor-made app is currently in development that will specifically address the banking services requirements of IT professionals. The bank has brought together fifty IT professionals from a range of tech companies to explain what they would most like to see in a tailored banking app. “Our goal is to create a convenient banking services ecosystem for everyone working in the IT industry,” says Cordoue.

Optimistic Outlook Credit Agricole’s strategic focuses on some of the most promising sectors of the Ukrainian economy such as agriculture and the IT industry should help consolidate the bank’s overall position in the years leading up to 2025. While Cordoue acknowledges the need for flexibility and agility in today’s often unpredictable environment, he believes the overall outlook is positive. “We maintain an optimistic view while remaining cautious and keeping a sense of prudence. This is a very innovative country and a dynamic business environment, so we are looking to build our strategy around the strong points of the Ukrainian economy.”

“Our goal is to create a convenient banking services ecosystem for Ukrainian IT professionals” www.bunews.com.ua

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Open Skies deal will strengthen Ukraine’s European integration Common Civil Aviation Area Agreement will fuel growth in flights connecting EU and Ukraine

The 2021 EU-Ukraine Summit produced a landmark aviation agreement that has potentially major practical implications for Ukraine’s further European integration. During their October meeting in Kyiv, Ukrainian and EU officials signed off on an Open Skies Treaty, or Common Civil Aviation Area Agreement, that effectively unites Ukrainian and European Union airspace.

The deal comes following around 15 years of negotiations, with talks having earlier stalled when Ukraine became caught up in a spat between Britain and Spain over the status of Gibraltar.

The agreement removes a range of bilateral restrictions on routes between Ukraine and EU member countries. It is expected to significantly boost the number of services connecting Ukrainian and European Union destinations, while also encouraging new carriers to enter the Ukrainian aviation market. These expectations appear to be more than justified. Hours after the signing of the Open Skies deal, leading European low cost carrier Wizz Air unveiled plans for a massive expansion of its Ukraine services, including the launch of 26 new routes by summer 2022 and the stationing of an additional seven aircraft in the country.

Wizz Air’s budget segment rival Ryanair is widely tipped to follow suit and announce similarly ambitious plans to bulk up its Ukrainian market presence. Speaking in mid-September, Ryanair Group Chief Executive Michael O’Leary confirmed that he was actively considering “aggressive expansion” in Ukraine once aviation restrictions were lifted. “The one market I would point to is Ukraine,” O’Leary commented. “I would think we will be a major investor in Ukraine when they join up to European Open Skies.”

More flight choice and an end to carrier monopolies on popular routes will likely mean cheaper ticket prices and a wider range of travel options for Ukrainian passengers. The introduction of EU standards will also bring greater protections for Ukrainian consumers, including obligatory financial compensation and hotel accommodation in the event of flight delays or cancellations.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s regional airports stand to gain from the agreement. A number of airports in the country’s regional capitals have undergone 78

comprehensive upgrades over the past decade, with Lviv and Kharkiv leading the way followed by more recent airport upgrades in Odesa and Zaporizhia. Next in line is Dnipro International Airport, where work is currently underway on the construction of completely new terminal facilities and a state-of-the-art new runway. The Open Skies deal will lead to an influx of carriers to these regional airports, while also providing a strong economic argument for similar modernization initiatives in other Ukrainian cities.

Not everybody is thrilled by news of Ukraine’s new aviation agreement. Representatives of the country’s airlines have been highly critical about the terms of the new treaty, which they claim are uneven and provide European carriers with a number of unfair advantages. Among a long list of complaints, they point to the fact that European airlines are now able to enter the Ukrainian domestic market, while Ukrainian carriers will not enjoy the same access to the domestic markets of individual EU countries.

The Open Skies deal may be bad news for Ukrainian carriers, but it promises to have a considerable positive impact on the country as a whole. Over the coming year, Ukrainian passengers will likely witness a dramatic increase in the number of services on offer from an expanding range of international airlines. Traveling to destinations across the EU will become cheaper and more convenient than ever.

This will help restart the aviation boom that began in 2016 before being temporarily derailed by the coronavirus outbreak in spring 2020. In the

four years prior to the disruption to international travel caused by the global pandemic, Ukraine experienced a period of consolidated year-on-year growth in passenger numbers as airports across the country unveiled additional routes on a monthly basis. During this period, annual passenger volumes at Ukraine’s busiest air hub, Boryspil International Airport, almost doubled from 8.65 million in 2016 to 15.26 million in 2019.

The key factor driving Ukraine’s air travel boom was the June 2017 advent of visa-free travel to the European Union. The removal of visa restrictions for Ukrainian citizens represented a huge psychological breakthrough for a nation that had previously grown used to cumbersome and often intrusive visa application processes that often made international travel an inconvenient and unpleasant process. Indeed, many Ukrainians regarded the lifting of EU visa requirements as the single most meaningful step towards European integration following the country’s 2014 Euromaidan Revolution.

The opening up of the EU to Ukrainian travelers has had far-reaching practical implications, helping to broaden horizons and enabling unprecedented levels of interaction between Ukrainians and their European neighbors. This process of grassroots European integration will now receive a considerable boost thanks to the enhanced connectivity brought about by the Open Skies Agreement. With a wider variety of EU flights at lower prices from a greater number of Ukrainian cities, the country will inevitably become more deeply integrated into the wider European community. www.bunews.com.ua

Kyiv’s historic Zoloti Vorota joins Time Out 2021 list of world’s coolest neighborhoods

Zoloti Vorota district in the heart of the Ukrainian capital has taken sixteenth position in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest neighborhoods in the world Kyiv’s historic Zoloti Vorota (“Golden Gate”) district has taken sixteenth place in Time Out magazine’s 2021 ranking of the coolest neighborhoods in the world. The district, which once served as the gateway into ancient Kyiv, has experienced considerable modernization and gentrification in recent years as part of a broader facelift that has helped spruce up the downtown area of the Ukrainian capital.

Time Out scribes noted that today’s Zoloti Vorota “oozes energy and creativity” and praised the Kyiv neighborhood for offering an abundance of “fancy bars, bombastic street art, hidden coffee shops, designer boutiques and nostalgia-fueled pie spots.”

The Time Out write-up attributed Zoloti Vorota’s high position on this year’s coolest neighborhood ranking to the district’s distinctly progressive vibe. “New openings, a strong sense of community that emphasizes heritage preservation, and unconventional green spaces like the Square of Kyiv Intellectuals all make the Zoloti Vorota neighborhood the go-to place to experience the forward-looking face of Kyiv.”

This ranking of the world’s coolest neighborhoods is compiled by Time Out each year based on the results of the annual Time Out Index survey, which this year polled a total of over 27,000 city dwellers around

the world. This input was then vetted by Time Out’s global network of local editors and contributors to produce a definitive list of the planet’s most fashionable urban districts.

Zoloti Vorota’s high position in this year’s ranking is the latest recognition of the Ukrainian capital’s rising international profile. Kyiv has frequently been dubbed “The New Berlin” in recent years amid growing foreign media coverage. The city is fast gaining a reputation as a popular hipster destination thanks to a vibrant bar and club scene along with an increasingly impressive selection of high quality restaurant options at affordable prices.

Another factor driving Kyiv’s increasing prominence is the expansion of budget airline services connecting the Ukrainian capital with destinations across the European Union and beyond. Since the advent of visa-free EU travel for Ukrainian citizens in 2017, the number of low-cost carriers operating Kyiv routes has mushroomed and helped make the Ukrainian capital far more accessible for weekenders in search of new city break options. While Kyiv’s growing tourism sector has been hard-hit by the Covid pandemic, there were positive signs of a revival amid a growing number of international visitors during summer 2021.

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Two years of Lifeline Ukraine

Ukraine’s suicide prevention hotline has received more than 16,000 calls since October 2019

About the author: Paul Niland (pictured front row, second left together with the Lifeline Ukraine team) is the Founder of Lifeline Ukraine Lifeline Ukraine recently marked its second anniversary. At 18:00 on 14 October 2019, the telephone number 7333 went live. Since then, Ukraine’s national suicide prevention hotline has been working around the clock, every day, without pause. People have turned to Lifeline Ukraine more than 16,000 times for support since it began operations.

A national suicide prevention hotline is a standard feature in many countries. In the UK and Israel, for example, national hotlines have operated for almost 50 years. In my home country of Ireland, it is nearly 60 years since the national suicide prevention hotline was founded.

The fact that Ukraine did not have such a service until two years ago is one of the reasons why, at that time, the country ranked eighth globally in terms of the number of deaths by suicide. I’m proud to say that Ukraine is no longer in the top ten. My aim is that by our third anniversary, Ukraine will no longer even feature in the top twenty.

Since it was launched, Lifeline Ukraine has sought to help Ukrainians overcome the trauma resulting from Russian aggression.

Indeed, when I was first asked to take on responsibility for building Lifeline Ukraine, my primary motivating factor was a desire 82

to support Ukraine’s war veterans. This remains Lifeline Ukraine’s key audience. But the reality of our work today is that we have evolved into a more traditional national suicide prevention hotline. Clearly, such a service is needed.

Nowadays, we are contacted by people from all walks of life. A young person who sees our awareness campaign on Instagram might not necessarily read all the way down to the part stating “for veterans and members of their families.” They see “suicide prevention” and “24/7” and they call.

Because our primary mission was originally to be here for people who had served in the Ukrainian armed forces, many of the consultants at Lifeline Ukraine are veterans of the country’s seven-year war with Russia. Our support method is peer-to-peer, but our service is available to every Ukrainian.

Recently, my colleague Volodya, a gruff and burly veteran, was chatting with a young man who was lamenting the loss of his first real love. “If she’s not with you any more, she’s just not the one,” was Volodya’s kind counsel. This little interaction was an example of how Lifeline Ukraine has evolved into something really quite special. Here are veterans, who have been to war to defend their

country, now serving their country in a different way, saving lives day after day.

The team, who often race to be the person who answers the next call, is not exclusively made up of veterans. A good number of consultants, and all of Lifeline Ukraine’s shift managers, are psychologists. Most of the team occupy two chairs at the same time.

They are veterans who have qualifications in psychology, or they are psychologists who have a particular interest in veteran affairs.

Whoever seeks their support gets it.

Over the last two years, the Lifeline Ukraine team has amassed a huge wealth of experience in preventing suicide. We propose to share that knowledge with any company or organization in the country. Suicide is one of the most preventable causes of death in the world. We can show how you can recognize warning signs, how to intervene, and how to help that person find resources of support.

We are ready to offer training in suicide prevention techniques to any Ukrainians who feel they could benefit. We provide this service free of charge while welcoming donations to support our work.

Maybe your company or your family has been affected by suicide. Maybe someone had noticed that a person who went on to take their own life had not been themselves, but did not know how to start a conversation about it. We can help you, and help make the country healthier at the same time.

We can deliver our training courses remotely, over a 90-minute period, and talk to groups of up to 15 people at a time. In fact, we have already begun developing this project and the feedback from all participants has been phenomenal.

As Lifeline Ukraine enters its third year, we remain committed to one of our foundational principles, the rule of one. This means that the most important thing to us at any given moment is the one person on the other end of the phone, the one call. The next call could be someone you know, a work colleague or a family member. If you think someone is having a tough time coping with their current circumstances, just ask them to call 7333.

We are ready to help. www.bunews.com.ua

Іndependently.

Confidentially.

Free of charge.

WHO WE ARE The Business Ombudsman Council is an independent permanent advisory body of the Cabinet of Ministers, established with the participation of the EBRD, the OECD, leading Ukrainian business associations and the Government. The BOC reviews business complaints concerning malpractice of state bodies.

If an entrepreneur is asked for a bribe in “exchange” for a certain service, faces procedural abuse from law enforcers, specific difficulties in receiving a VAT refund or a construction permit, he can ask the Business Ombudsman to consider the situation.

HOW WE WORK

1 GOALS

WHO CAN COMPLAIN

ASSESS YOUR COMPLAINT (up to 10 working days)

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Legal entity

Facilitate the fight against corruption and other business abuse

Contribute to greater investment attractiveness of Ukraine

Marcin Święcicki, Business Ombudsman

Individual entrepreneur, whose entrepreneurial interest was violated

AGAINST WHOM YOU CAN COMPLAIN

INVESTIGATE YOUR COMPLAINT (up to 3 months)

3 ISSUE AND MONITOR RECOMMENDATIONS (until they are properly implemented)

State body State-owned enterprise Promote a public service culture of fairness, openness and accountability

Local government authority

CONTACT US +380442377401 info@boi.org.ua

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SUBMIT A COMPLAINT: boi.org.ua

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Ukraine’s classical music superstar Oksana Lyniv makes history again Ukrainian Oksana Lyniv will become the first female conductor ever to lead an Italian opera house when she takes over as the new musical director of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in January 2022 Superstar Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv is making musical history yet again. The 43-year-old native of Brody in western Ukraine was unveiled in October 2021 as the new musical director of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in Italy. When she takes up what is envisaged as an initial three-year posting in Bologna in January 2022, she will become the first female conductor ever to be appointed as musical director of an Italian opera house.

Lyniv is no stranger to groundbreaking firsts of this nature. She has consistently been a trailblazer throughout a remarkable classical music career that has often seen her challenge gender stereotypes and rewrite the rule book.

Born into a family of musicians in Soviet Ukraine during the twilight years of the Brezhnev era, Lyniv began her rise to prominence while studying at Lviv’s Lysenko Music Academy in the late 1990s. Recognized as a young

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prodigy, she was able to gain important early exposure as an assistant conductor at Lviv Opera House before moving abroad to continue her musical studies in Germany.

While she has spent much of the past two decades building her career in the German-speaking heartlands of European classical music, Lyniv also enjoyed a extended residency in Odesa. From 2008 until 2013, she served as associate chief conductor at the Odesa National Opera, gaining valuable experience in the splendid surroundings of the Ukrainian Black Sea port city’s sumptuous late nineteenth century opera house.

The Ukrainian star’s growing reputation as one of the world’s most exciting classical music talents was considerably enhanced in 2017 when she became the first woman to be appointed as chief conductor of the Graz Opera and the

:

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Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv receives the Order of Princess Olga from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during celebrations to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Ukrainian independence in August 2021 (Photo: president.gov.ua)

: Graz Philharmonic Orchestra in Austria, a role she remained in until 2020.

However, even this impressive accolade was eclipsed in summer 2021 when Lyniv made international headlines as the first woman ever to conduct at Germany’s prestigious Bayreuth Festival.

Lyniv’s July 2021 Bayreuth Festival appearance in front of a star-studded audience including German Chancellor Angela Merkel was a genuine landmark event in the world of classical music that helped to consolidate the Ukrainian’s status as a global star. In the more than 140 years since the Bayreuth Festival was first launched by Richard Wagner himself in 1876, the celebrated annual event had never before featured a female conductor.

“Of course it is very special to be the first woman since the founding of the Bayreuth Festival to conduct at this magical place,” Lyniv commented during an interview with German media outlet DW prior to her historic appearance at the festival in summer 2021. “Richard Wagner has written women into his operas with leading, action-packed roles and has portrayed them as very emancipated. That’s why I believe he would be proud that almost 140 years after his death, a woman will bring his wonderful music to life for the first time on the podium.”

Within weeks of her German triumph, Lyniv was entering the record books once more, this time in Italy. The Ukrainian actually made her first appearance at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna months before the Bayreuth Festival in March 2021 as guest conductor at a concert performed without an audi-

ence due to Covid-related restrictions. Two months later in May 2021, she returned to Bologna to perform before a full house for the first time. These appearances proved enough to secure her new position as musical director.

In a social media post announcing her new role in Italy, the Ukrainian conductor acknowledged the historical significance of the appointment. “I have the honor and responsibility to become the first woman to be invited to become the musical director of one of the most important Italian state theaters, in a country where classical music has an extraordinary history that is felt in every corner and is an integral part of the national culture,” she commented.

Lyniv’s remarkable achievements have led to a string of accolades and awards.

In December 2020, she was named Conductor of the Year at Germany’s prestigious Oper! Awards. During celebrations to marked the thirtieth anniversary of Ukrainian independence in August 2021, she received the Order of Princess Olga from President Zelenskyy.

Lyniv’s more novel honors include the creation of a Barbie doll in her likeness, which was produced in autumn 2021 especially for an Odesa exhibition entitled “Dreamers and Inventors.” Meanwhile, one of the superstar Ukrainian conductor’s most meaningful awards to date came in October 2021, when she was named as the recipient of the 2021 Saxon Mozart Prize together with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, which Lyniv founded in 2016 in a bid to bring young musicians from across Ukraine together and help unite the country.

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Citronelle Celebrates 10 years with New Signature Champagne Kyiv’s Citronelle restaurant has marked its tenth anniversary in style by unveiling a new Blanc de Blancs champagne by French champagne house Pierre Morlet made exclusively from white grapes.

“Two years ago, Eric Morlet and I presented four new champagnes created specially for Citronelle. And now the star of our tenth anniversary is the Champagne Blanc de Blancs by Pierre Morlet,” comments Citronelle founder Maria Didkovska. “It features a delicate aroma of white flowers together with plums, peaches, and apricots. You will fall in love from the very first sip.”

Blanc de Blancs champagne is made from chardonnay grapes and is traditionally more expensive than other types of champagne. Guests of Kyiv restaurant Citronelle can now sample this elegant limited edition drink for themselves.

“We have created a wonderful champagne,” says Eric Morlet. “This is the wine of the future and a fitting way to celebrate the restaurant’s tenth anniversary.”

Pierre Morlet is an independent champagne house with vineyards bordering well-known producers including Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Bollinger, and Mumm. The current head of the champagne house, Eric Morlet, is one of the last winemakers in the region who oversees the process personally. He is much sought after by his famous neighbors as a celebrated “nose.” The unique taste of Pierre Morlet champagne is due to organic production and special cultivation techniques, with everything done by hand.

“The French consider it perfectly normal to drink champagne in the morning,” says Maria Didkovska. “With this in mind, we recommend Champagne Blanc de Blancs by Pierre Morlet in the morning, Pierre Morlet Cuvée Suivie Brut Champagne Premier Cru in the afternoon, and Pierre Morlet Millesime Brut Champagne Premier Cru for dinner with friends.”

Ernest Hemingway once said, “I can’t think of any better way of spending money than on champagne.” There is nothing to add here, except to raise a glass of champagne to ten more years of Citronelle!

Citronelle 23 Bohdan Khmelnitskiy Street, Kyiv Restaurant reservations: 067-2171420, 044-4993936 All-inclusive catering: 050-932-6488

2021 Judicial Forum in Kyiv Ukraine’s tenth annual Judicial Forum took place in Kyiv in early autumn with a focus on the importance of an independent judiciary and Ukraine’s ongoing judicial reform efforts. This Covid-compliant event offered both online and offline participation and featured more than 70 expert speakers from around the world.

The Forum was organized by the Ukrainian Bar Association together with the Council of Europe’s project to strengthen access to justice in Ukraine. For the eighth consecutive year, LCF Law Group was the general partner of the Forum.

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Credit Agricole Bank Hosts Macroeconomic Review For the seventh consecutive year, Credit Agricole Bank in Ukraine brought together colleagues, clients, and leading economists on 21 October at the Hilton Hotel in Kyiv for the bank’s annual Macroeconomic Review event summarizing the most important trends of 2021-2022. Key speakers at this year’s event included Vladyslav Rashkovan of the IMF along with Credit Agricole’s Tania Sollogoub and Oleksandr Pecherytsyn.

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USAID Conference Focuses on Reloading East Ukraine IT industry pioneers, government ministers and Ukrainian stars from the worlds of business, sports, and culture gathered at Kyiv tech hub UNIT.City in October 2021 for the East Ukraine: Reload conference. The event was part of USAID’s Eastern Ukraine Economic Support Project, which aims to help Ukrainians transform communities throughout eastern Ukraine while challenging stereotypes and highlighting inspirational success stories from the region. The keynote speaker was Guy Kawasaki, the legendary tech evangelist for Apple and Mercedes-Benz who joined the conference live from California. Fellow speakers included Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, Olympic gold medalist and MP Zhan Beleniuk, ten-time Paralympic gold medalist Maksym Krypak, celebrity chef Vitaliya Kotenko, and bandura musician Marina Krut. The conference was organized by Luc Chenier’s PLAN C agency.

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Nigerian Independence Day in Kyiv The Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine led by Nigerian Ambassador Shina F. Alege welcomed friends, colleagues, and members of Ukraine’s Nigerian community to the annual Nigerian Independence Day celebrations in the Ukrainian capital in early October. This year Nigeria is marking the sixty-first anniversary of the country’s independence from Great Britain.

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2021 Edition of Ukrainian Law Firms Guide Members of Ukraine’s legal services industry gathered in Kyiv in early autumn for the presentation of Yuridicheskaya Practika publishing house’s annual Ukrainian Law Firms guide. This authoritative annual guide, which is currently in its nineteenth edition, offers detailed analysis of the Ukrainian legal services industry. Ukrainian Law Firms project head Olga Usenko noted that the publication is not only intended to serve as a bridge between legal counsel and clients, but also as a reliable resource for decision-making.

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French Chamber Crowns Ukrainian Business Woman of 2021 For the third consecutive year, the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has crowned the Ukrainian business woman of the year.. The 2021 award went to Oleksandra Balyasna, the founder of Ranenko, who was selected following a nationwide search. Ranenko is a Ukrainian company that provides support for premature babies and their families. Since 2013, Ranenko has supported more than 30,000 babies and has also established cooperation with healthcare centers across Ukraine as well as hospitals and international partners in Finland, Lithuania, and Kazakhstan.

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Launched in 2019, the annual “Created by Women” award seeks to recognize the contributions of Ukraine’s female business leaders. This year’s winner was selected from over 100 nominees. “When we first launched this award, we could not begin to imagine what a huge number of female entrepreneurs there are in Ukraine,” commented Maud Joseph, the director of the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The main goal of our award is not only to provide them with financial and professional support, but also to give them the self-confidence to demonstrate their creativity, efficiency, and endurance.”

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and finally

Ukraine confirms plans to bid for Winter Olympics

Photo: president.gov.ua Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that the country is preparing an official bid to host the Winter Olympics.

Speaking on September 11 at a gala event in Kyiv to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee, Zelenskyy told visiting International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach of his “determination” to bring the Winter Olympics to Ukraine.

Domestic reaction to this news was mixed, to say the least. Skeptics were quick to observe that cash-strapped Ukraine has many

far more urgent priorities, while noting that host countries almost always end up losing large amounts on money. Environmentalist groups also voiced their opposition. Activists pointed out that the envisaged construction of a vast new sports resort to accommodate the Winter Olympics would have a potentially devastating impact on the unique ecology of the Ukrainian Carpathians.

Meanwhile, supporters of Zelenskyy’s Olympic ambitions focused on the potential to boost Ukraine’s international profile. They argued that the massive financial outlay

necessary to prepare Ukraine for a Winter Games might eventually come to be seen as a shrewd investment if it helps transform negative international perceptions of the country.

From a practical point of view, there is little reason to doubt that Ukraine could pull off an impressive Winter Olympics. The country has hosted a number of major international events over the past two decades and has consistently received top marks for both organization and hospitality. The 2005 and 2017 Eurovision Song Contests in Kyiv were well-received, while the Ukrainian capital’s handling of the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final between Liverpool and Real Madrid was widely applauded by fans and officials. Ukraine’s most successful hosting experience to date was the country’s role as co-host of the Euro 2012 European Football Championship together with neighboring Poland. Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk served as Ukraine’s four host cities, with over one million visitors traveling to Ukraine during what was a memorable month-long festival of football.

There are no guarantees that Ukraine will actually win the right to host the Winter Olympics, of course. Zelenskyy faces fierce competition from the likes of Barcelona and Salt Lake City, while the earliest available date for a Ukrainian Games is now probably 2034. Likewise, it would be foolish to dismiss the doubters who suggest the whole project would only fuel corruption and leave Ukraine with crippling debts while causing irreparable environmental damage. Nevertheless, an Olympic bid remains a tantalizing prospect. Hosting the Winter Olympics would test the limits of Ukrainian ambition.

If responsibly managed, it could serve as a major new milestone in Ukraine’s ongoing nation-building journey.

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The opinions expressed by individual authors and contributors each month in Business Ukraine magazine do not necessarily reflect the position of the publishers. The publishers of Business Ukraine do not accept legal responsibility for the goods and services advertised within the publication.

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