Former U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo calls on Ukraine to guarantee investment protection for victory and economic growth
Ukraine should stop talking about the possible nationalization of Kyivstar, as it could have a negative impact on the country's investment climate, as well as on the confidence of allies to counter the russian invasion and rebuild after victory. In addition, due to the violation of property rights, Ukraine will lose the chance to build a strong economy to resist any aggression.
Mike Pompeo, the former U.S. Secretary of State, ex-head of the CIA, and a current member of the Board of Directors of the largest Ukrainian mobile operator, stated this in an exclusive interview for NV.
"Talking about nationalization would be a step back because Ukraine will need a huge amount of private sector investment, foreign direct investment, as well as support from Europe and the private sector of the United States to overcome the consequences of the war," he said, reminding of the need to protect the right property by neglecting this, Ukraine will make a "strategic mistake," because it will not be able to attract investments for reconstruction, capital flows will be very limited.
Pompeo noted that the largest Ukrainian communications operator, which belongs to the international telecom group VEON, is "an important pearl of the Ukrainian economy. Kyivstar has served the Ukrainian people incredibly well and has been incredibly generous. It has also been an important participant in helping the Ukrainian people over the past two years."
"Now is the time when we can start doing it. I came with a group of private investors from the construction industry to the telecommunications industry - from all spheres," Pompeo said and emphasized the need for Ukraine to unconditionally comply with universally recognized rules of inviolability of private property and investment protection. "[Investors] should do so with confidence that the capital they invest in Ukraine will be protected from confiscation or nationalization," he emphasized.
Pompeo noted that the United States is ready to provide Ukraine with all the necessary support for victory, and Ukraine itself, in addition to fighting on the front line, should continue democratic transformations - they will provide economical power to resist russian encroachments or aggression.
Pompeo calls Ukraine's economic power one of the central elements of its security so that the country can withstand any forceful encroachments. Therefore, the United States will help Ukraine achieve a strategic advantage over the enemy on the battlefield so that Ukraine dictates peace terms to the aggressor from a strong negotiating position and in the economic sphere in order to prevent aggression in the future.
"Evil comes from Moscow, and this evil must be opposed. The Ukrainian people have done an amazing job and made huge sacrifices for this. The United States must continue to support it in all dimensions: military, diplomatic, intelligence, and now also in commercial," Pompeo emphasized. "We need the private sector to identify opportunities, take risks, and enter this sphere. We need to make sure that the conditions created by the Ukrainian government, which is the fundamental ability to protect fundamental rights, property rights, exist in such a way that we can implement this fourth important direction in order to convince Vladimir Putin that the defeat of Ukraine is impossible."