On 18 June 2025, a working meeting was held with the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Tatiana Molchan, and Paul Ladd, Director for Sustainable Development and Chief Counsel of the UNECE.
During the meeting, the parties addressed a number of important issues, ranging from the current situation in Ukraine to strengthening expert support and attracting investment in the economy, security, and environment, in particular through public-private partnerships. The Committee members discussed Ukraine's economic integration with the European Union, focusing on market regulation, customs reform and the removal of trade barriers to promote long-term investment and economic growth. They emphasised the importance of harmonising relevant rules, ensuring fair competition and investing in infrastructure to promote mobility and economic development in Ukraine.
The meeting focused on the importance of private sector involvement in Ukraine's recovery efforts, as it is not feasible to rely solely on public or government support. Participants stressed the need to align infrastructure projects with sustainable development goals, taking into account environmental, social and economic aspects. The discussion also touched on legislative improvements and the role of investors in supporting Ukraine's development.
Committee Chairman Dmytro Natalukha stressed that Ukraine is committed to accelerated economic integration into the EU and is ready to continue working to align with EU legislation and standards, and that the draft law on public-private partnerships (Reg. No. 7508) could become a key tool for post-war recovery. It should be noted that on 19 June 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the European integration Law of Ukraine on Public-Private Partnerships, which establishes a modern model for implementing infrastructure projects in cooperation with business, communities and international partners.
Tatiana Molchan assured that the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe will continue to pay special attention to Ukraine and support programmes to restore and rebuild Ukraine from the consequences of the russian invasion. She also noted that such meetings are very important to ensure that national legislation, investment strategies and institutional reforms support Ukraine's sustainable and resilient recovery.
The Committee for Economic Development is sincerely grateful to our Western partners for their willingness to provide financial, technical and analytical support to Ukraine. Thanks to this cooperation, we are able to implement systemic solutions that give people hope and open up real opportunities.