More than three quarters – 77.8% – of participants in the annual meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham) expect a ceasefire in 2025.
In a short survey of more than 230 respondents, more than two-thirds – 67.9% – expect US President-elect Donald Trump to visit Kyiv next year, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
Almost two-thirds – 62.7% – expect international flights to resume in 2025.
On October 30, AmCham Ukraine and our member company Sayenko Kharenko are hosting our traditional Halloween Blood Donation Day, and we want YOU to help make a difference!
Dress up in your favorite costume (optional but encouraged!) and join us to donate blood for those in need. Together, we can show that heroes don’t always wear capes – sometimes, they carry a little bandage on their arm.
Whether you’re a first-time donor or a seasoned lifesaver, we welcome you all! Your contribution will help save lives, and there’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by turning something spooky into something spectacular!
Follow all the rules and recommendations to prepare for donating blood.
Please take your passport and identification code with you. Citizens of other countries can also be donors if they have a residence permit in Ukraine and an identity document.
Due to security reasons, venue details will be provided one day in advance. The location has an underground shelter.
On August 21, 2024, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham Ukraine) held a reception in Kyiv to celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day. The event brought together AmCham members, diplomats, and business representatives, becoming an important event in the capital’s business life.
The event began with greetings from AmCham leadership. AmCham President Andy Hunder emphasized the importance of partnership between Ukraine and the United States and expressed confidence in further development of bilateral economic relations. Special attention was paid to the challenges facing Ukrainian business in the context of the ongoing war and global economic instability.
Today, AmCham Ukraine unites over 600 member companies, making it one of the largest and most influential business associations in Ukraine. To effectively protect business interests and address key issues in various sectors of the economy, the Chamber has 24 specialized committees covering such areas as finance, IT, healthcare, agribusiness, and others.
AmCham Ukraine’s Board of Directors plays an important role in managing the organization, providing strategic recommendations and professional expertise. The Board consists of:
Executive Committee:
Olena Koszarny – Chair of the Board (Horizon Capital)
Arvid Turkner – Vice Chair (EBRD)
Alex McWhorter – Deputy Chairman of the Board (Citi Ukraine)
Sergiy Martynchuk – Treasurer (Cisco)
Sergiy Chorny – Legal Counsel and Secretary (Baker McKenzie)
Directors:
Yulia Badritdinova – General Director, McDonald’s Ukraine
Vasyl Bovdilov – General Director, Unilever Ukraine
Mikhail Bubnov – CEO, Schneider Electric Ukraine
Oleg Khaidakin – CEO, Carlsberg Ukraine
Michael Kharenko – Partner, Sayenko Kharenko
Leonid Polupan – CEO, Microsoft Ukraine
Petro Rondiyak – Chairman of the Board of Directors, Winner Group Ukraine
Andrzej Ruzicki – CEO, Bunge Ukraine
Olena Sereda – Director of Corporate Affairs and Legal Affairs, Coca-Cola Ukraine
Andriy Tsymbal – CEO, KPMG Ukraine
Vasyl Varvaroi – General Director, Cargill Ukraine
The reception, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, demonstrated the unity and commitment of Ukrainian business to develop in the face of global challenges. The event once again emphasized the importance of international partnership and AmCham Ukraine’s role in supporting economic stability and growth in the country.
Interfax-Ukraine is a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine and an official service provider of AmCham Ukraine.
The European Business Association (EBA), the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham) and the Association of Tobacco Manufacturers “Ukrtobacco” have appealed to the Verkhovna Rada to support in the second reading the draft law No. 11090 on increasing the excise tax on tobacco products as proposed by the Cabinet of Ministers.
“It is necessary to provide for the EU’s approach to determining a single euro to hryvnia exchange rate throughout the year (as of October 1 of the previous year for the entire next year) in order to ensure business planning for enterprises that are the largest taxpayers in Ukraine, which, according to the official opinion to the draft law and relevant letters, is insisted on by both the Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU and the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Cabinet of Ministers,” the second version of the draft law reads on the EBA website.
The associations are confident that the initiatives of some Ukrainian MPs to introduce conceptual changes to the decision already adopted in the first reading to change the excise tax rates on tobacco products pose significant risks to the State Budget of Ukraine. These proposals could provoke a galloping growth of the illegal cigarette market, which has been reduced with extraordinary efforts for several months, taking into account the recommendations of the G7 countries and the leadership of the Chairman of the Parliamentary Financial Committee Danylo Hetmantsev.
The most critical and risky initiatives, according to the member companies, are the proposals to establish an ad valorem excise tax on tobacco products at 25% and to compare the tax rate for cigarettes and electrically heated tobacco products (EHT).
It is emphasized that such an initiative does not comply with the European approach and the practice of EU member states.
“Please take into account the position of the united business community when making the final decision on the revision of excise tax rates on tobacco products as part of the further consideration and adoption of Draft Law 11090,” the association summarized.
Earlier, the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (UUE) and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) called for the adoption of the draft law on tobacco excise taxes in the version of the Cabinet of Ministers.
As reported, on June 4, the Verkhovna Rada supported in the first reading and adopted as a basis the draft law No. 11090 on increasing the excise tax on tobacco products.
The draft law provides for the conversion of excise tax rates on tobacco products from hryvnia to euros, reaching the EU minimum excise tax level on cigarettes (EUR90 per 1000 cigarettes) through a gradual increase in specific excise tax rates by 2028, returning to the differentiation of excise tax on HTPs and cigarettes, and introducing a special mechanism for calculating excise tax on tobacco products based on the exchange rate.
According to the estimates of the Ministry of Finance described in the draft Budget Declaration, this will increase state budget revenues by UAH 0.6 billion in 2025, by UAH 5 billion in 2026, by UAH 9.4 billion in 2027 and by UAH 13.9 billion in 2028.
AmCham Ukraine and member company Sayenko Kharenko are delighted to invite you to our Summer Blood Donation Day.
Right now, Ukraine needs blood more than ever, especially during these challenging times of Russia’s full-scale war. Your donation can make a real difference and save lives.
Bring your friends, family, and everyone who wants to join this important cause. Let’s come together, donate blood, and show our support. Plus, there will be refreshments and great company.
We can’t wait to see you on June 20 and make a positive impact together.
Follow all the rules and recommendations to prepare for donating blood.
Please take your passport and identification code with you. Citizens of other countries can also be donors if they have a residence permit in Ukraine and an identity document.
Due to security reasons, venue details will be provided one day in advance. The location has an underground shelter.
Employee health and mental well-being, as well as attracting and retaining top talent, have risen from third to second and from sixth to fourth place in the list of key challenges facing companies over the past six months, according to a survey of its members by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Ukraine.
According to the survey, 70% of respondents mentioned health and psychological issues, up from 65% six months ago, and 56% of top employees, up from 43%.
Employee safety and security remains a key challenge, but its “rating” has dropped from 91% to 85%, while Russia’s missile attacks on critical infrastructure and business assets have dropped from 66% to 61%, moving it to third place.
The challenge of economic and consumer recession has also dropped to fifth from fourth, but 54% of respondents mentioned it, compared to 45% six months ago.
While in early fall, the top five expected problems were access to electricity, water and heat supply, and mobile communications with a 44% share, now it is not even among the top 11.
At the same time, logistics and transportation problems have become a concern for 43% of respondents, up from 30% six months ago, regulatory challenges – 39% instead of 23%, and pressure on business from government agencies – 28% instead of 23%.
Among the top three priority steps that businesses would like to see the government take, the top three are real and effective judicial reform (22%), ensuring a clear and transparent booking procedure (22%), and strengthening national security and defense and de-mining of Ukraine (21%).
Less frequently, company representatives chose to ensure predictability and stability of tax legislation (14%), protect supply chains by addressing the situation with border logistics and maritime transportation (7%), ease currency restrictions on repatriation of dividends and/or payment of interest on foreign loans (6%), and expand insurance coverage of political risks (3%).
According to the survey, 86% of companies are fully operational, 12% of the surveyed companies continue to operate partially, and 2% do not operate at all, while 84% were fully operational six months ago.
58% of all respondents had no damage to their property during the two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 7% had their assets occupied, and 30% had their companies’ plants/factories/ facilities/warehouses/offices damaged: 75% of them have minor damage, 25% have irreparable damage.
According to the survey, 84% of AmCham member companies in Ukraine have employees in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 31% of companies, employees were wounded, 29% were killed in action, and 2% were missing.
“Despite the difficulties, the business community, inspired by brave defenders, continues to work and believe in Ukraine, supporting the economy, paying taxes and creating jobs for Ukrainians. 86% of member companies are fully operational after two years of full-scale war in Russia. Security and judicial reform are the highest priorities for business,” commented AmCham President Andy Hunder.
The survey, conducted from February 12-22, 2024, involved 125 CEOs and top managers of AmCham member companies.
