Zelensky meets world's finance leaders in Davos
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with top executives of the world's leading financial funds at the sidelines of the Davos forum on Jan. 16, seeking to boost investment in Ukraine.
Zelensky has arrived at the World Economic Forum, an annual event held in Switzerland's Davos, to convince the world's leaders of the need for continued support for Kyiv, as over $100 billion in EU and U.S. funds remain stalled by domestic political disputes.
The CEOs of the world's finance giants who attended the meeting included JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Jamie Dimon, BlackRock Vice Chairman Philipp Hildebrand, and CEO of Blackstone Group Stephen Schwarzman.
Present were also Lakshmi Mittal, the chairman of ArcelorMittal, a steel manufacturer that is one of Ukraine's biggest international investors, as well as Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker, and others.
During the meeting, Zelensky underscored the importance of attracting private capital to reconstruction projects in Ukraine, the Presidential Office's website said.
In particular, he emphasized the need for mixed financing through private and state capital during the war.
"This is where we see your immediate role right now. I know that you are actively cooperating with our team. I look forward to a concrete result," Zelensky said.
The president also attended the "CEOs for Ukraine" meeting at the forum's sidelines, asking the world's business leaders "to boost investment in Ukraine and support our economy."
Zelensky further emphasized the potential and prospects of military production in Ukraine and the importance of cooperation with leading Western defense companies.
Elsa Court
