Message from Ambassador John F. Tefft

Ambassador John F. Tefft

The Embassy of the United States to Ukraine assists U.S. companies interested in the Ukrainian market, and local businesses looking for U.S. exports or interested in working with a U.S. partner.  In fact, promoting U.S. business interests in Ukraine is one of our top priorities.  The advantage for Ukraine is economic development – increasing employment, increased tax revenues, foreign direct investment, economic growth and development – a win/win for both the United States and Ukraine.

Ukraine presents a challenging business environment due to endemic corruption and a stifling Soviet-style bureaucracy. Despite these challenges, Ukraine’s vast potential continues to attract foreign firms of all sizes, many of which have been doing business in Ukraine for 20 years.  As the largest country wholly in Europe, Ukraine occupies a strategic position between European Union countries and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and has the potential to be one of the richest countries in all of Europe, based on their wealth of natural and human resources.  In fact, Ukraine has 5% of all the world’s natural resources and 25% of the world’s fertile black soil.

The Embassy works closely with local business organizations, including the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, to actively engage the Ukrainian government on issues affecting both the business and investment environments.  Engaging regularly with our Ukrainian counterparts helps us to achieve positive outcomes in time-sensitive customs and taxation disputes on behalf of American businesses and investors.

The Embassy’s Economic Section and the U.S. Commercial Service collaborate on the many challenges to doing business in Ukraine.  Their combined efforts address market access and trade barriers issues, and clarify how to certify products and register in order to do business legally in Ukraine.  The Embassy can help businesses pursue their goals in Ukraine with a wide range of services, including matchmaking between trading partners and joint-ventures, and political advocacy to help level the playing field.