The Chamber of Commerce of Spain and the Chamber of Commerce of Ukraine held last week in Kyiv the first meeting of the Spain-Ukraine Bilateral Committee, a business forum designed to strengthen economic relations between both countries and promote the participation of Spanish companies in the investment, modernization, and reconstruction processes of Ukraine.
The First Vice President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, pointed out that “initiatives like this are essential because they create a structured platform for dialogue between companies and public authorities and allow firsthand knowledge of the opportunities, concerns, and challenges that companies face on the ground.”
Cuerpo added that “Spain maintains a firm commitment to its support for Ukraine, not only to overcome the immediate challenges arising from the war but also to lay the foundations for a resilient, modern, and prosperous future.” He said, “Reconstruction” does not only consist of rebuilding what has been damaged; it is about creating the conditions for sustainable growth, economic integration, and long-term competitiveness.”
Also, Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, agreed in referring to the numerous strategic projects in which companies are involved and how it has become a true partnership.
Luis Furnells, president of OESÍA, which holds the presidency of the Spanish section of the Spain-Ukraine Business Council, stated that “Spain has companies with high capabilities in security, defense, and management of critical infrastructures, willing to promote knowledge transfer, joint innovation, and the development of shared industrial capacities.”
“In this process,” said Fornells, “our outlook must be long-term and aspire to rebuild Ukraine, but also to build a stronger economy, a more competitive and technologically advanced industry, which will result in a safer Europe.”
Mykhailo Bno-Airiian, Vice President of Global Affairs of MHP and President of the Ukrainian section of the Business Council, emphasized that “Ukrainian companies continue to invest and modernize their production” while seeking partners “who provide technology, industrial knowledge, and access to European value chains, an opportunity in which Spanish companies can play a key role.”
The Ukrainian businessman assured that “Spain can become one of Ukraine’s main allies within the European Union. The success of this Council should not be measured by the number of meetings held, but by the alliances we build, the investments we attract, the projects we launch, and the jobs we create in Ukraine and Spain.”
According to Gennady Chyzhykov, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Ukraine, “the creation of the Ukraine-Spain Business Council represents a concrete tool to promote new business opportunities, facilitate business alliances, and transform bilateral dialogue into projects, investment, and shared growth. Our countries have a solid economic relationship and enormous potential for collaboration in strategic areas such as reconstruction, renewable energies, infrastructure, agri-food, digitalization, and the aerospace industry.”
The meeting brought together institutional and business representatives from both countries with the aim of identifying collaboration opportunities and establishing a joint roadmap for the coming years. During the meeting, the participating companies analyzed collaboration opportunities in strategic areas for the recovery and modernization of Ukraine, as well as the necessary mechanisms to facilitate greater private sector participation in reconstruction projects, infrastructure development, energy, industry, technology, agri-food, and advanced services.
According to Jaime Montalvo, International Director of the Chamber of Spain, “the establishment of the Ukraine-Spain Business Council marks a decisive step to strengthen economic cooperation, promote investment, and generate new collaboration opportunities between both countries. This inaugural meeting reflects the interest of Ukraine and Spain in building strategic alliances that contribute to recovery, innovation, and sustainable growth based on business cooperation between companies from both countries and dialogue with the governments of Ukraine and Spain.”
The Business Council aims to become a stable instrument of dialogue between the business communities of both countries, facilitating contacts, identifying projects of common interest, and conveying proposals to public administrations.
Its creation also responds to the shared interest in intensifying trade relations, attracting investments, and generating lasting business alliances between Spain and Ukraine. The Business Council has its origin in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Chamber of Commerce of Spain and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine, by which both organizations agreed to promote economic and trade exchange between the two countries, encourage business missions, promote joint projects, and drive the creation of a bilateral business council.
