USUBC will host its annual U.S.-Ukraine Business Forum 2026: Innovation and Regional Development on 4 February 2026, during Ukrainian Week in Washington, D.C.
Building on the success of the previous Forums, the 2026 edition will continue to serve as a platform for advancing dialogue on Ukraine’s recovery and long-term economic development, bringing together the top tier of Ukrainian business, government and regional leadership with US private sector.
Program:
1:00 – 1:30 PM
Registration
1:30 – 2:00 PM
Introductory Remarks
Stephanie Murphy, Chair, Executive Committee of U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC); Vice President, Crop Science and Corporate Government Affairs, Bayer U.S.
Irina Paliashvili, President & CEO, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
Thomas J. Spulak, Partner, Government Advocacy and Public Policy, King & Spalding
Pavlo Unguryan, Ukrainian Week principal organizer, Fmr. Member of the Ukrainian Parliament
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Panel One: Innovation-Driven Regional Recovery and Development
- Reconstruction and regional development
- Infrastructure, logistics and transport
- Increasing role of innovation technologies and AI in Agro sector
- Insights on strategies and projects for regional recovery and growth
- Financing, war risk insurance, making the projects bankable: Project Preparation Facilities
- U.S.-Ukraine Prosperity Plan: prosperity-oriented investment and development
Moderator:
Vlad Skots, CEO, USKO Express Inc.
Speakers:
Peter A. Briggs, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
Nadiia Khomaziuk, Vice President, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
Mykola Lukashuk, Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council
Alex Romanishyn, Advisor on International Affairs to the State Agency for Restoration of Ukraine
Oleksandr Vainer, Co-owner, Agrosem
3:00 – 3:30 PM
Coffee Break
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Panel Two: Strategic Emerging Technologies
- Key sectors of Strategic Emerging Technologies: Defense Tech, uncrewed systems and autonomous technologies, robotics, dual use, Defense IT, AI-driven systems
- The role of DFIs, IFIs, venture capital and strategic investors in financing and development of Strategic Emerging Technologies
- Cooperation opportunities in the defense tech sector, scaling defense innovation, testing, and rapid product deployment
- Dual Use; drones and demining
Moderator:
Debra Cagan, Senior Advisor, Eurasia Center; Distinguished Fellow, Transatlantic Leadership Network, Atlantic Council
Speakers:
Richard Budniewski, Senior Operations Officer, Mountain Horse Solutions
Deborah Fairlamb, Founding Partner, Green Flag Ventures
Church Hutton, Chief Growth Officer, AV (AeroVironment, Inc.)
Dave Sharpin, Chief Executive Officer of Quantum-Systems Inc.
Phillip Stewart, Chief Operating Officer, Jones Group Europe
4:30 – 5:30 PM
Panel Three: Energy and Minerals
- Unlocking Ukraine’s natural resources potential
- Investment-readiness in mining and related sectors
- The pivotal role of U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund (URIF) in Energy/Minerals sector
Moderator:
Amb. Geoffrey R. Pyatt, Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine; Senior Managing Director, Energy and Critical Minerals Practice, McLarty Associates
Concluding Remarks:
Ihor Baranetskyi, Minister-Counsellor (economic issues), Embassy of Ukraine in the USA
Speakers:
Oleksandr Dombrovskyi, Deputy CEO, Energy Innovation & Energy Efficiency, MHP
Stepan Kozytskyy, CEO, Zakhidnadraservis LLC
Elizabeth Shortino, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
Will Thompson, Managing Director, Sovereign Partnerships, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
Sergii Voitsekhovskyi, Board Member, BGV Group Management
5:30 – 6:30 PM
Networking Reception
Speakers
The working language of the Forum is English.
The attendance is limited to USUBC members and partners. The space is strictly limited, so we can only accept one representative per company. The registration will be carried out on a first come, first served basis and will be closed when we reach capacity. If you would like to join the event, please fill out the registration form.
For questions and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nadiia Khomaziuk, Vice President, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council at nkhomaziuk@usubc.org