Do you agree that being in the right place at the right time is crucial? One such place was the influential European Forum for New Ideas (Europejskie Forum Nowych Idei) in Sopot, Poland, which took place ahead of Poland’s pivotal six-month EU presidency. This is Poland’s first presidency with the new European Commission and one during which key clusters of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations are expected to open.
The three-day conference was opened by Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, who highlighted the challenges facing a united Europe and Poland’s priorities during its EU Council presidency. The leadership of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (SUP), as the voice of Ukrainian business in Europe, deemed it essential to participate in the discussions, especially considering the high level of participants from Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Ukraine, and other countries.
SUP President and co-owner of Nova Poshta, Viacheslav Klymov, joined the forum online during a discussion on Ukraine’s reconstruction. He emphasized the resilience of Ukrainian businesses operating under wartime conditions, amidst constant Russian attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
“We always have a Plan A and Plan B for different situations. We’ve become experts in risk management and business resilience. For instance, when the full-scale invasion began, it took us only four hours to reestablish logistics and resume operations,” – Klymov shared, reflecting on how Nova Poshta adapted to work during the war.
SUP President stressed the importance of attracting both Ukrainian and foreign investors to Ukraine’s reconstruction through business partnerships. He cited Nova Post’s partnership with the Polish logistics company InPost as a successful example. To expedite reconstruction, the government must protect the interests of investors and entrepreneurs, with the private sector playing a crucial role in the process.
Poland’s government plenipotentiary for Ukraine’s reconstruction and Sejm member, Paweł Kowal, expressed support for Ukraine’s integration into the EU and NATO. He emphasized that Poland would participate in the comprehensive reconstruction of the country, urging entrepreneurs to submit their ideas for Ukraine’s recovery directly to his office.
During the discussion on Ukraine’s European prospects, Kateryna Glazkova, SUP’s Executive Director, highlighted Ukraine’s ongoing reforms and urged European partners to support our European aspirations and efforts.
She noted that much attention at the forum was given to deregulation issues to ensure efficient operations for entrepreneurs in the EU’s common market. The European market is highly competitive, and SUP’s role is to help Ukrainian businesses understand the rules and principles of the EU. Another priority for SUP is to engage in negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession.
“The voice of Ukrainian business must be heard – ” Kateryna added, noting that SUP continues to organize international events and participate in high-level forums to promote Ukrainian companies in EU markets.
SUP extends its gratitude to the Leviatan Confederation and its president, Maciej Witucki, for the opportunity to represent the position of Ukrainian business at the influential EFNI forum!
