The sun is setting magnificently over the skyline of Kyiv. All around, commercial deals are being planned, connections established and views on business conditions exchanged. We’re at a major gathering of the British business community in Ukraine at my residence on 14 September.
Supporting British business in Ukraine and attracting investors to the UK is a core activity of this embassy. It follows that I blog and write about it constantly, for which I make no apologies (see eg here, here, here or here). Some of what we do is high profile, eg the British Business Days in Ukraine last March including a meeting of over 100 British business people with Prime Minister Azarov. Many of our other contacts with the authorities on behalf of British business are, as those businesses will know, carried out with no publicity (a couple of people thank me during the event for recent lobbying). I am proud of the results we have achieved in the past year. And I’m delighted that the British Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce plays a major role in organising the 14 September event and that generous sponsorship from several different companies covers the entire cost.
The embassy in Kyiv, like the rest of the Foreign Office and UK Trade and Investment network, will continue to support British business in the months ahead, including pressing for a better business climate in Ukraine. As I’ve written before, conditions here remain tough but the Ukrainian government has pledged to improve things and there are real opportunities for businesses with energy and patience. If you want to know more about doing business in Ukraine contact Niall Cullens, our Head of Commercial Section, on commercial.kyiv@gmail.com or visit our website.