In Dublin, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, together with Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin, took part in the first Irish-Ukrainian Economic Forum.
The event was attended by owners and executives of leading food, energy, finance, consulting, construction, aviation, pharmaceutical, and IT companies.
The Head of State expressed gratitude for the attention to Ukraine, the support, and the willingness to invest. He emphasized that Ukraine counts on Irish business participation in the country’s reconstruction.
“We want to stop this war now. But in any case, given the challenges we currently face, we need to rebuild. This includes energy and food security. Then comes everything else: port infrastructure, LNG terminals, and much more,” the President said.
Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted that one of Ukraine’s most difficult challenges right now is Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure.
“It is a major challenge when you have no electricity for hours in your own home. We understand that this is one problem. But a far greater problem is when you have no electricity for your infrastructure. That also means no water. People cannot live without water. There are many strategic solutions that must be implemented,” the Head of State stressed.
At the same time, according to Volodymyr Zelensky, despite the war, Ukrainian businesses continue to operate and develop, implementing, in particular, modern technologies and innovations.
“The best reform for technology is a reform of bureaucracy. And that is indeed very difficult. But we make decisions quickly, because you cannot think about various institutions when, for example, you are being attacked by missiles or drones,” the President said.
The Head of State also noted that many tech companies have now emerged in Ukraine’s defense sector. In his view, this experience should be strengthened through joint productions with various countries and companies.
Micheál Martin expressed confidence that Ireland and representatives of the Irish business community will not only take an active part in Ukraine’s reconstruction but also cooperate in agriculture, medicine, pharmaceuticals, logistics, communication technologies, aviation, and energy.
“I hope this forum can lay the foundation for further partnerships between Irish and Ukrainian enterprises. Some large Irish companies are already operating in Ukraine, and others are interested in investing,” the Taoiseach noted.
