Zelensky meets with Ukrainian business leaders few days before New Year

MOSCOW. Dec 28. (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky reiterated the need to maintain support for the country's businesses and enterprises at a meeting with 27 business executives representing a variety of industries and regions.

"I'd very much like us to be in a strong position in this or that format of negotiations [...]," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Zelensky as saying in a video published on social media.

He thanked businesses for saving jobs for the Ukrainians and for continuing to work in Ukraine.

Video footage that has been released shows the top managers of Ukraine's leading holdings, such as Astarta, Biosphere, Epicenter DTEK, Rozetka, Nova Poshta, MHP, and Kyivstar, attending the meeting with the president.

According to a press release published on Zelensky's website, the meeting was attended by owners and managers of the largest Ukrainian companies operating in pharmaceuticals, logistics, agriculture, energy, telecommunications, the services sector, finances and banking, as well as defense industry enterprises.

Zelensky last met with Ukrainian business representatives on February 15, 2024, when business was represented by members of the Council for the Support of Entrepreneurship under Martial Law (the Council of Seven). A more extensive meeting, which involved around 30 owners and managers of businesses and representatives of business associations, took place in late June 2023.