09/09/2026
From Frontline Evacuations to Investment Talks with UkraineInvest . . .
This week has seen a major gear shift from evacuations with the Road-of-Life teams in the grey zones, to talking investment opportunities wearing my NZ Ukraine Business Association (NZUBA) hat.
Ukraine Invest is Ukraine’s official government investment promotion office - the one-stop-shop that helps domestic and foreign investors navigate agencies, find real projects, understand the rules (including under martial law during war), and unlock incentives under the Law on Significant Investments.
That is exactly the kind of practical partner New Zealand businesses need if they are serious about investing in Eastern Europe and in Ukraine’s recovery.
Energy, infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, property, construction and infrastructure - all the industries that need rebuilding, not just talked about.
Our conversation reinforced something I have seen on the ground here over the past four plus years: humanitarian work and investment are not separate tracks.
Aid keeps people alive and communities functioning; investment is what lets those communities stand up again.
UkraineInvest exists to shorten the distance between interest and project conception.
New Zealand already has people, trust, and a track record here. The next step is converting that into durable commercial partnerships that serve both countries.
UkraineInvest is the right door to walk through and I’m grateful to the team for the time and the clarity.