On May 7, 2025, at the final congress of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the results of the chamber system’s work over the past five years were summarized.
The following speakers addressed the participants of the event:
Vitaly Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine;
Vitaliy Kindrativ, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine;
Major General Serhiy Deineko, Head of the State Border Service
Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavlyuk
Gennady Chizhikov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The delegates of the congress, including presidents of regional chambers of commerce and industry and business representatives:
supported the strategic directions for the chamber’s future activities;
approved the chamber’s 5-year report;
elected the new Chamber Council and approved the 5-year term of office for the CCIU leadership.
The Chamber Council elected:
Gennadiy Chyzhykov as President of the CCIU;
Mykhailo Nepran as First Vice President of the CCIU;
Natalia Zabrudska as Vice President and Secretary General of the CCIU;
Mykola Gavrilenko as Vice President of the CCIU;
Valerii Korol as Vice President of the CCIU;
Rostyslav Korobka as Vice President of the CCIU.
“We have gone through five years of trials. The pandemic and the war did not stop our work or business. I am proud that the system of chambers of commerce and industry has demonstrated its viability, adaptability, and strategic vision. This year is a landmark year for our system. The first chambers of commerce appeared in Ukraine 175 years ago. Now the role of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a pillar of support for business is growing especially fast. Thanks to the chamber teams for your contribution to Ukraine’s stability,” said Chyzhykov.
The Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the largest Ukrainian business association, bringing together thousands of entrepreneurs, from craftspeople to industrialists. Regional chambers of commerce and industry are represented in all regions of Ukraine.
The UCCI is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of European Chambers (Eurochambres) and the World Chambers Federation (WCF), which bring together millions of companies.
The Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) belongs to the global network of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which is the institutional representative of chambers from 170 countries.
The common goal of the chamber network is to simplify international trade for businesses and liberalize entrepreneurship.
The UCCI cooperates with international partners, including UNDP, GIZ, Enterprise Europe Network, GIZ, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, and #ReACT4UA, to implement the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the field of trade, supporting small and medium-sized businesses through programs to increase export potential, digitalization, training on scaling up to foreign markets, and advocating for business in dialogue with authorities and international institutions.
Working together for business!
France remains one of the most positively perceived countries among Ukrainians. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in April 2025 with the participation of the information and analytical center Experts Club.
According to the survey, 74% of Ukrainian citizens have a positive attitude toward France: 47.7% are mostly positive, and another 26.4% are completely positive. Only 6.2% of respondents had a negative attitude (5% mostly negative, 1.1% completely negative), 18.3% chose a neutral position, and 1.5% of respondents were unable to decide on an answer.
“For many Ukrainians, France is associated with military and humanitarian aid, diplomatic support in the European Union, and cultural sympathy. The high level of positive perception is natural,” emphasized Active Group co-founder Oleksandr Pozniy.
These figures confirm once again that Ukrainian society highly values those who demonstrate moral solidarity in difficult times.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
French company GE Vernova and PJSC Zaporizhzhyaoblenergo have signed a EUR13 million agreement to manufacture and supply two mobile substations to the network operator to strengthen the region’s energy resilience, according to the government’s Telegram channel.
“This contract is the last one under the EUR200 million intergovernmental grant agreement between Ukraine and France. Within its framework, 19 projects have been approved in the fields of energy, healthcare, water supply, transport, and demining,” the statement said.
It specifies that 50% of the EUR200 million in non-repayable aid can be used to purchase Ukrainian goods and services.
Ukrgazvydobuvannya, a member of the Naftogaz Group, set a new drilling record in January-March 2025, reaching 107,136 meters, which is almost twice as much than in the same period of 2024 and exceeds the previous quarterly maximum recorded in the third quarter of 2024 (102,866 meters).
“Increasing domestic gas production is strategically important for Ukraine. Ukrgazvydobuvannya’s record figures, achieved despite hostile shelling, confirm the professionalism of the team and make a significant contribution to strengthening our country’s energy security,” said Naftogaz CEO Roman Chumak, whose words are quoted in a statement on the Group’s website on Wednesday.
According to him, March was the most productive month, with 41,229 meters drilled, which is 6,929 meters more than the planned target (34,300 meters).
“Thus, the monthly record set in April 2024 of 40,059 meters was also broken,” Naftogaz said.
According to the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club in April 2025, Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Mexico are generally characterized by a high level of neutrality, but with a positive bias.
The majority of respondents — 64.5% — expressed a neutral attitude toward this Latin American country. At the same time, 26% of respondents have a positive perception of Mexico (19.3% — mostly positive, 6.7% — completely positive), while only 4.3% have a negative opinion (3.9% — mostly negative, 0.4% — completely negative). Another 5.2% of respondents were undecided.
“These results demonstrate that the image of Mexico for most Ukrainians does not yet have a clearly formed emotional or political association. Neutrality dominates, but positive feelings outweigh negative ones,” explained Maksim Urakin, founder of Experts Club.
The survey once again confirms that both political support and cultural presence in the global arena play an important role in shaping a stronger international image.
The presentation of the study is available at the link.
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, URAKIN
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the cost of housing construction in Ukraine has increased by 90-115% depending on the class of housing, and the trend continues, Vladimir Zhigman, construction director of the DIM group of companies, told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Since the beginning of the year, the cost in the “comfort+” segment has increased by 17% to $850-1000/sq. m. The reasons for such a significant increase are not only the rise in the cost of building materials, but also a systemic shortage of personnel and a crisis in the supply of key items.
“Today, only 40-50% of pre-war workers are employed in construction. Some have left, some are in the Armed Forces. There is a shortage of qualified welders, crane operators, high-altitude workers, special equipment operators, and even ordinary laborers,” Zhigman explained.
According to him, to overcome the labor shortage, companies are raising wages, attracting contractors from other regions, and in some cases from abroad.
As for building materials, the estimated average price increase from the start of the full-scale war (February 2022) to May 2025 is between 40% and 60%. For example, concrete has actually doubled in price due to higher fuel costs, logistical difficulties, and a 30-40% reduction in production capacity compared to pre-war levels. The cost of drywall has increased by 35-45%, influenced by higher raw material prices, particularly gypsum, and rising energy costs.
The cost of plaster has also increased by 30-40% in approximately the same range. This is due to higher prices for cement and fillers, as well as increased energy costs. Tiles have also jumped in price by 50-60%, mainly due to import dependence, higher logistics and energy costs. At the same time, according to DIM analytics, the share of imported building materials in an average project has actually doubled: from 12-14% in 2021 to 23% in 2023 and almost reached 25% in 2024.
“Most elevators on the market are imported, as are ventilation systems and electrical equipment. Add to this logistics, exchange rates, and risks, and we have the answer to the question of upward dynamics,” Zhigman noted.
In 2024-2025, developers will increasingly rely on optimizing technical solutions, smart design, and transparent communication with buyers. In an industry where production costs are already close to market prices, this is becoming a matter not only of profitability but also of survival, the expert explained.
“Rising costs have become the new norm. The question is no longer whether prices will rise, but how to remain competitive without compromising on quality and pace,” commented Arseniy Nasirovsky, junior partner at DIM Group, whose words are quoted in the report.
According to him, in 2025 and beyond, the key competitive advantages for developers will be flexibility in design, forecasting of logistical risks, and systematic work with contractors. “The market is entering a phase where it is not the biggest but the most efficient that will win,” Nasykovsky believes.
The portfolio of the development company DIM consists of real estate in Kyiv and the region with a total area of over 900,000 square meters. 3,670 apartments have been commissioned, and over 356,000 square meters of residential and commercial space has been built. Six projects with a total area of over 346,000 square meters are under construction.
