Category: Economy & Business

Now is the time for businesses to look at Ukraine

War can bring out the best in people, but it also sadly takes away many of the best among us. Around one-third of the more than six hundred member companies at the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham Ukraine) have seen employees killed during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Almost half of all

Five ways the West might increase pressure on the Russian economy

On Wednesday, Russia’s central bank announced new measures to speed up its sale of foreign currency ten-fold to prop up the wobbly ruble. Although the drop in the ruble’s exchange rate since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is an imperfect indicator of true financial health, there is no denying that the West’s financial sanctions, export

Ukraine’s remarkable resilience may prove decisive in long war with Russia

Over the past eighteen months, Ukraine’s ability to overcome the destruction and disruption created by Russia’s invasion has been so striking that some outside observers have even questioned the reality of the war. Every so often, video footage of Ukrainians engaged in everyday activities appears on social media accompanied by suggestions that the situation in

Russia is ramping up its CBDC. Will Putin’s ‘robot ruble’ work?

The “August curse” has spared the Kremlin this year, but the same cannot be said of Russia’s central bank. The month has periodically been the venue of political surprises in Russia, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has apparently shot down any doubt that he retains full power. However, a massive exchange rate crash brought on

Ukraine upgrades digital education efforts

The full-scale Russian invasion has thrust Ukraine’s tech sector into the limelight and highlighted the importance of a national digitalization drive that was already well underway prior to the outbreak of hostilities. While international attention has understandably focused on the innovative defense tech developments that are currently helping Ukraine to defend itself on the battlefield,

Ukraine’s state authorities must follow private sector in unlearning old habits

How is the business climate in Ukraine doing as Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches the eighteen-month mark? Available data indicates that the private sector is recovering and innovating, with a non-governmental consensus forecast of around 5% GDP growth this year (albeit from a much lower conflict-affected 2022 base). This is also the sentiment you feel whenever

Agricultural obstacles may complicate Ukraine’s path toward EU membership

For the past nine years, Russian aggression against Ukraine has been driven by Moscow’s desire to derail Ukraine’s progress toward a European future. Russia’s 2014 invasion came in direct response to Ukraine’s Euromaidan Revolution, which was sparked when the country’s pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych sought to back out of earlier EU integration commitments. Today’s full-scale

Rebuilding efforts should prioritize the key pillars of Ukraine’s democracy

There is currently no end in sight to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the debate over Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction is already well underway and continues to gain momentum. Attention is focused primarily on the challenge of physically rebuilding the country’s shattered infrastructure, with war damage currently estimated at over $400 billion. At the same

Ukraine’s tech sector is playing vital wartime economic and defense roles

The Ukrainian tech industry has been the standout sector of the country’s hard-hit economy during the past year-and-a-half of Russia’s full-scale invasion. It has not only survived but has adapted and grown. Looking ahead, Ukrainian tech businesses will likely continue to play a pivotal role in the country’s defense strategy along with its economic revival.