Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, European countries have contributed generously to Ukraine. From generators to food to tents, aid from Europe and the United States is helping keep Ukrainians warm, fed and sheltered.
European partners such as the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy have led Europe’s aid to Ukraine, supporting refugees and providing for Ukraine’s defense.
A Ukrainian police officer distributes humanitarian aid to a local volunteer in Krasnohorivka, Ukraine. (© Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)
These nations are investing in Ukraine’s recovery not only because they feel a strong sense of solidarity with Ukraine and understand the lessons of history, but also because they recognize supporting Ukraine is a smart investment.
“We are at the forefront of humanitarian support for Ukraine,” as well as providing defensive weapons and working to achieve peace, Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso said before the bilateral Ukraine Recovery Conference between Italy and Ukraine in 2023. “At the same time, we are preparing the conditions to support Ukraine and to realize the reconstruction of the country that will become the greatest European growth asset in the coming decades.”
A miner in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine (© Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)
The numbers confirm Urso’s point. Ukraine has a population of more than 40 million people, extensive natural resources and a highly qualified workforce.
Ukraine possesses some of the world’s largest reserves of titanium and iron ore, fields of untapped lithium and other energy sources. Ukraine’s information technology industries are growing strongly, employing nearly 300,000 IT specialists.
Ukraine already is a good investment. According to a USAID survey, 89% of the companies who invested in Ukraine before the 2022 full-scale invasion were either meeting business goals (49%) or exceeding them (40%). These figures point to the promise of a Ukrainian recovery for those who invest now.
According to Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, “Now is the right moment to begin looking at Ukraine as a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity. The biggest national recovery project in Europe since World War II is already underway and will gain considerable further momentum in the months and years ahead. Those who join this process during the early stages will benefit.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the plenary session of a bilateral meeting in Rome between Italy and Ukraine in April 2023 on the reconstruction of Ukraine. (© Domenico Stinellis/AP)
Conferences on Ukraine’s recovery have occurred in Lugano, Switzerland; Vilnius, Lithuania; Rome and London. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed Italy as the host of a 2025 Conference for the Recovery of Ukraine, emphasizing its significance in European reconstruction efforts.
“Investing in Ukraine’s reconstruction today is an extremely prudent and forward-looking investment,” Meloni said. “It is an investment in peace, it is an investment in well-being. It is an investment in the economic growth of Ukraine, Italy and Europe.”
An original version of this article was published on www.shareamerica.gov
