The Ukrainian delegation began its official visit to Saudi Arabia with a meeting with nearly a hundred local entrepreneurs. During the meeting in Riyadh on February 16, 2025, the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, presented promising investment opportunities in energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and other sectors. The discussion also covered the participation of Saudi Arabian companies in privatization in Ukraine.
In the coming days, the delegation will hold dozens of meetings in preparation for President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Saudi Arabia.
"Saudi Arabia is actively supporting Ukraine. They have allocated $500 million for Ukraine’s recovery efforts. They are helping both humanitarian and economically, working with Ukrainian companies. The current call is 'invest in Ukraine without waiting for the war to end,' which we can illustrate with very concrete businesses from Saudi Arabia. For example, FAS Energy, which has invested in renewable energy in Ukraine, or SALIC, which became a co-owner of one of the largest Ukrainian agroholdings, MHP, in September last year by purchasing 12.6% of the company’s shares. I am extremely grateful to all the companies that show leadership and demonstrate that investing in Ukraine now is not only possible but necessary," said Yulia Svyrydenko.
Yulia Svyrydenko thanked Saudi Arabia for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and emphasized the growing cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, the Ukrainian side informed Saudi Arabian businesses about the current economic situation in Ukraine, the investment opportunities available for foreign investors, and the measures the country is implementing to create and maintain a favorable investment climate.
Potential investors were informed about programs supporting projects with significant investments, industrial park development tools, and military risk insurance.
As part of the business forum, a series of workshops were held where forum participants learned about investment projects in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and real estate.
"I am convinced that we have prospects for even greater investment involvement from Middle Eastern countries. Today, we saw significant interest primarily in infrastructure projects, energy, innovation proposals, and agribusiness, particularly in fertilizer production, where Saudi Arabia has expertise. Our joint efforts are already yielding results, albeit in small steps. Exports to Saudi Arabia have grown from $291 million in 2023 to $368 million in 2024. We expect further growth this year. We have not yet reached pre-war levels, but I hope we will achieve this, and such business forums will play a role in that," added Yulia Svyrydenko.
