Zelenskiy urges more investment and aid for Ukraine amid Russian invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday pressed his case for financial help for his country with some of America’s best known billionaires who made their fortunes in industries ranging from finance to tech and sports. The small number of hedge fund managers, real estate investors, philanthropists, bankers and former government officials met with Zelenskiy in New York as he laid out the need for more investment in Ukraine now, 19 months after Russian forces invaded. The meeting was scheduled for hours after Zelenskiy addressed the United Nations Security Council about Russia’s invasion and its consequences.
Zelenskiy, speaking in English and flanked by aides, made his case for investing in his country, coupled with an urgency to lend more support now, some of the attendees said. He highlighted the potential of Ukraine’s economy, especially in the fields of technology, agriculture and energy, and the reforms that his government has implemented to improve the business climate and fight corruption. He also stressed the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities and sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression.
Zelenskiy meets with prominent US business leaders and former officials
The meeting was organized by JPMorgan Chase, the sources said. Billionaire investors Ken Griffin, Bill Ackman, and Blackstone Group president Jonathan Gray, who are often invited to weigh in by central bankers and policy makers on political issues, were invited to meet Zelenskiy. Robert Kraft, chief executive of the New England Patriots football team, Henry Kissinger, a former United States Secretary of State, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, politician, philanthropist and businessman Mike Bloomberg, a former mayor of New York, and real estate investor Barry Sternlicht, also joined the meeting, which was held at Ukraine’s mission to the United Nations.
The group of bankers who convened the meeting to discuss investment in Ukraine included JPMorgan executives Mary Callahan Erdoes, its CEO of asset and wealth management, and Vince LaPadula, its CEO of workplace. The meeting was attended by about 20 people in total, according to one source. Representatives for Griffin’s Citadel, and Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management and other attendees declined to comment.
Zelenskiy seeks to boost US-Ukraine relations amid tense geopolitical situation
The meeting was part of Zelenskiy’s efforts to boost US-Ukraine relations and secure more support from Washington amid a tense geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe. Zelenskiy met with US President Joe Biden at the White House last month and thanked him for his “unwavering support” for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He also expressed his hope that the US would provide more military assistance and join a diplomatic effort to end the conflict with Russia.
Zelenskiy also addressed the UN General Assembly on Wednesday and called on the international community to stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression. He said that Russia had violated international law and human rights by annexing Crimea and supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine. He urged the UN to adopt a resolution on the de-occupation of Crimea and appealed for more sanctions against Russia. He also warned that Russia’s actions posed a threat to global security and stability.
