KYIV/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky rang the New York Stock Exchange opening bell remotely on Tuesday as Kyiv seeks billions of dollars in capital to help rebuild factories and sectors industrialists devastated by the war with Russia.
To support the Ukrainian economy still at war, Kyiv has set up a platform of more than 500 projects worth 400 billion dollars (403 billion euros) for foreign investors.
At the opening of Wall Street, Volodimir Zelensky made an appearance on a video screen behind the platform overlooking the floor of the New Stock Exchange where the bell is traditionally rung to mark the start of trading.
Traders cheered and loudly showed their support as a banner appeared claiming, “We’re free. We’re strong. We’re open for business.”
Speaking in English, Ukraine’s president, who previously held a video conference with executives from JP Morgan, Pfizer and other US companies, said his country was already rebuilding, more than six months after the start of the Russian invasion.
“Ukraine is the story of a future victory and a chance for you to invest now in projects worth hundreds of billions of dollars to share the victory with us,” he said.
The United States, Europe and countries in Asia have already provided billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine through arms and other security investments.
The investment platform in Ukraine, dubbed “Advantage Ukraine”, focuses on ten key sectors including the military-industrial complex, energy, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, the timber sector and logistics.
(Report Andrea Shalal, with Conor Humphries in Dublin, written by Karin Strohecker; French version Claude Chendjou, edited by Sophie Louet)
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