NEW YORK — September 25, 2026. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in New York with executives from more than 30 major American companies and international financial institutions as Ukraine seeks investment for reconstruction, economic resilience and long-term growth.
The September 24 meeting brought together executives from companies including Citigroup, BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Lazard, Macquarie, State Street, Jane Street, Fairfax, FedEx, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Shield AI and McKinsey & Company.
Representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, World Bank, European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development also participated.
Ukraine Seeks Private Capital for Reconstruction
The meeting illustrates a central challenge facing Ukraine: reconstruction will require far more than government aid alone.
Kyiv is increasingly trying to attract private capital, global banks, manufacturers, technology companies and institutional investors into projects that can continue beyond emergency wartime assistance.
The discussion was facilitated by Citigroup and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and moderated by presidential economic adviser Chrystia Freeland.
Security and Investment Are Closely Linked
Zelenskyy briefed participants on the military situation and discussed the connection between security, economic resilience and long-term investment.
That connection is particularly important for international investors evaluating projects in infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, logistics and defense technology.
Investment decisions depend not only on potential returns but also on war-risk insurance, political risk, access to financing, physical security and the ability to continue operations during wartime.
Who Took Part
The official presidential statement lists companies and institutions representing finance, logistics, defense, consulting and development finance.
Among them were Citigroup, BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Lazard, Macquarie, State Street, Jane Street, Fairfax, Fortescue, FedEx, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Shield AI, Day & Zimmermann, Prospera and McKinsey & Company.
The presence of the World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation is significant because these institutions can help structure financing and reduce risks for private investment.
Why It Matters for Ukraine
Ukraine’s reconstruction is increasingly becoming an investment issue as well as a foreign-aid issue.
For international businesses, major questions include war-risk insurance, transparent procurement, legal protections, financing and the expected return on long-term projects.
Ukraine is also pursuing reforms to its capital-market infrastructure, including proposals designed to attract a strategic international investor.
Reconstruction and Private Investment
Public financing from the United States, European Union and international financial institutions remains important, but Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction needs are too large to depend exclusively on government funding.
Private investment could become particularly important in energy, housing, transportation, manufacturing, telecommunications, logistics and technology.
The New York meeting therefore represents more than diplomatic outreach. It is part of Ukraine’s effort to establish direct relationships with the institutions that could eventually finance or operate reconstruction projects.