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A world economic forum will start in Davos (Switzerland) without the participation of Russian billionaires. Russian oligarchs have always been an integral part of it, but in recent years they are more remembered for loud parties in a Russian house. And Ukraine, according to Andreas Umland, a German political scientist and analyst at the Stockholm Center for the Study of Eastern Europe, which he said today, January 16, on the air of the FREEDOM TV channel, will be able to present two important topics.
The doors of this forum slammed shut in front of the Russians.
“Here there is a partially moral argument – that it is impossible to have communication and support of these people who are connected to this war to one degree or another or indirectly, nevertheless, even if they are not connected to the war itself, they are somehow recognized part of everything And the second element is strategic. Now it makes little sense to discuss with Russian companies and businessmen, because the current development is such that it is too risky to conclude any contracts or plan joint projects, even if people here do not have any moral restrictions in this regard,” says Umland.
Ukraine will be represented at the forum by a powerful delegation, and President Volodymyr Zelensky will participate remotely.
“It is important for Ukraine, first of all, that the Ukrainian representatives can present there as global or at least European aspects of this war with Russia, that this is not just an Eastern European problem, that it is an all-European and all-human problem. The second important topic for Ukraine is how, despite the war, it is possible to make sure that private investors return to Ukraine. This is a very difficult task, but here, first of all, it is possible to rely on some moral impulse, as Western companies left Russia, partly because they did not want to lose their image or strategically did not see prospects there, partly because of moral and ethical reasons they also left Russia . It is possible to rely on the fact that some entrepreneurs will come to Ukraine for the same moral and ethical reasons. But in order for a large number of investors to move to Ukraine, this is, of course, a very difficult task, it can probably be solved somehow through the insurance of foreign investments. And, by the way, it is possible to facilitate the procedure of obtaining a temporary or permanent place of residence in Ukraine for foreigners from friendly countries, probably worth it. I know that this is a difficult process,” said the political scientist.
He noted that investing in a country that is at war, where you can lose these investments, where there are difficulties with electricity, etc., is all difficult, but possible.
“But if he speaks openly about these risks and difficulties, and proposes some solutions for this, then it may be possible. Already now, the Ukrainian government is negotiating with the World Bank, which has a special agency for insuring investments against political, military, and other economic risks. There should be a package that could then convince some Western investor that it will be easy to enter the Ukrainian market, and that these investments will not be lost, and that there is a prospect. The perspective of EU membership and the beginning of these accession negotiations are also important,” Andreas Umland summarized.
