American business has every opportunity to take leading positions in restoring Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure right now, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address to members of the National Association of US Manufacturers.
As the head of state noted, participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine after the hostilities will give an extraordinary moral advantage to all businesses. At the same time, according to him, businesses that help in one way or another the Russian tyranny, will not be able to avoid problems and reputational crisis.
“American business is well positioned to take the lead in both rebuilding the Ukrainian economy and infrastructure and in showing the world that it is human nature to serve precisely worthy ends, and that this gives and always will give the greatest result. Ukrainian life after this war will inevitably get a fresh start,” Zelensky said.
He stressed that Ukraine now needs to restore hundreds of industrial, infrastructure and social facilities, residential buildings.
“Entire cities, industries, productions. This is a colossal task. But realistic. Ukraine is interested in projects to create a full production cycle in titanium, lithium, aluminum production, ferrous metallurgy … We need to rebuild the economy and energy on new security principles. It is in Ukraine that we will combine green transformation with security transformation and set an example for the same transformation in other countries”, Zelensky said.
He also said that mechanical engineering, agro-processing, weapons production, including modern drones, IT, transportation and infrastructure, localization of business in Ukraine and convenient logistics to other markets from Ukraine, and human capital “are not just investment opportunities and growth, but a wide space for American victories.”
“I urge you to prepare for these victories now and come to Ukraine now so that when we return the world, your hard work will already be producing results,” the president concluded.
The National Association of Manufacturers is one of the largest associations of manufacturers in the American business world which represents large and small manufacturers from all branches of industry in all 50 states of the United States. The association now has about 14,000 members.
President Vladimir Zelensky would like to hold a summit of Latin American countries and Ukraine to convey his position on the peace formula.
“Latin America is very important, I would very much like to do a conference, I would like to do a meeting, a summit of Latin American countries and Ukraine,” Zelensky said at a press conference Friday.
He said it’s hard for him to leave the country, but that’s the kind of meeting he would go to.
“I would be able to convey to them, their media, their society,” Zelensky stressed.
The president also said that Ukraine needs to make steps toward a meeting with the countries of the African continent.
“We worked very badly for many years, we did not pay attention – this is a big mistake. That’s why a special program was adopted to expand the ambassadorial presence in the region,” he added.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would like to involve both India and China in the peace formula
“There is a point of fixing and the end of the war, we need security guarantees. When there is fulfillment of the points – then there is also respect for the people, for the Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and U.S. President Joseph Biden will discuss the course of hostilities and further measures aimed at supporting Ukraine during a meeting in Kiev on Monday, February 20, the press service of the Office of the President reported.
As specified, Zelensky met with Biden at the Mariinsky Palace. After introducing the members of the Ukrainian and American delegations, the presidents of Ukraine and the United States talked in a face-to-face format.
Zelensky noted that Biden’s visit was an extremely important signal of support for Ukraine and Ukrainians, and stressed that Biden personally and the entire American society have been with Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war unleashed by Russia.
“The first phone call of support for Ukraine was from the White House. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you also for the bipartisan support, for the support from Congress,” he said.
The president of Ukraine said he would talk to the U.S. president about the situation on the front lines and also about the Ukrainian people, who are going through a very difficult time.
“What we have to do to stop the war, to have success in this war, to make Ukraine even stronger and how to win this year,” he said.
For his part, Biden noted the importance of his presence in Ukraine today, which demonstrates U.S. support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I think it would be critical to leave no doubt that the U.S. supports Ukraine in its war against brutal aggression,” he said.
The U.S. president described his intention to discuss how the United States and allies can effectively help Ukraine fight for freedom and independence. He also conveyed greetings from members of Congress. According to Biden, they were very impressed by Zelensky’s recent speech to Congress.
He also said he was glad to visit Kiev again.
“A lot has changed since the last trip. Terrible things have happened, the invasion, but at the same time, the Ukrainians have shown themselves in a way that very few nations have ever shown themselves in their defense. And they helped us understand the importance of democracy,” Biden stressed.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the information about the visit of his American counterpart Joe Biden to Kyiv.
“Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your visit is an extremely important manifestation of support for all Ukrainians,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
In turn, the White House commented on the meeting between Biden and Zelenskyy.
“I will announce another shipment of critical equipment, including artillery munitions, anti-tank systems, and air surveillance radars, to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardment.
And I will share that later this week we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that try to evade or engage the Russian war machine,” the White House said in a statement on its website.
After his visit to Kyiv, the US president will travel to Poland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky notes the acuteness of the problem of humanitarian demining and announces simplifications for business in dozens of directions.
“The agricultural sector is a very acute issue of humanitarian demining of land. At the level of the Cabinet of Ministers an interdepartmental working group has been created to ensure the implementation of this activity – clearing soil of mines and unexploded ordnance,” he said in a video message on Wednesday.
“Held an economic meeting today on preparations for spring. A lot of issues that relate to Ukraine’s economic recovery, creating economic opportunities for our people, industries,” he said.
According to Zelensky, “Businesses will get simplifications in dozens of ways. This applies to various bureaucratic permits and licenses. Steps are also being prepared to create jobs. Every job is an aid to our resilience and a way for our people to come back to Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes it is important for the country to have meaningful relations with the entire region. Southeast Asia and with every state in the region.
In a video address on Monday, noting a telephone conversation with the president of the Philippines, he said that “Ukrainian diplomacy has a clear task – to reach out to all regions of the world, where our position is not yet sufficiently represented, to make Ukraine and Ukrainian interests understandable to all those states and peoples with whom we do not yet have stable relations.”
“This applies to Asian directions as well as to Africa and Latin America,” he said.
