Accelerating the economic reset and the creation of a new investment ecosystem in Ukraine: participation of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, NRFU, in the II Foreign Investment Congress

On May 15-16, the Second Foreign Investment Congress was held in Kyiv. The event is a communication platform for local communities, foreign investors, international financial institutions, private funds, regional businesses, representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine and government officials. The National Research Foundation of Ukraine is a media partner of the event. On the first day, May 15, Igor Taranov, Head of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, NRFU, joined the event as a speaker.

The Head of the Office took part in the panel discussion ‘Financial Diplomacy 4.0: How International Institutions, Innovative Tools and Digital Solutions Accelerate the Reset of Economic Architecture and the Creation of a New Investment Ecosystem in Ukraine’. In his speech, Igor Taranov noted the importance of Ukraine’s participation in the EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe, which is a source of additional funding for domestic researchers and innovators, emphasising that participation in EU grant programmes significantly reduces the financial pressure on the state and is a great opportunity to find partners for project implementation.

The Head of the Department noted that since the beginning of the full-scale war, our country has been receiving comprehensive support from the European Union, in particular, Ukraine has been exempted from paying fees for participation in the Programme. In addition, Igor Taranov said that the European Commission has recently approved a new Horizon Europe work programme 2025, the main aspects of which include support for Ukrainian researchers affected by russia’s aggressive war, including through the MSCA4Ukraine initiative. Under appropriate conditions, scientists will also be given the opportunity to return to Ukraine and restart their research and innovation activities.

“The EC will continue to support Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, which builds stronger research relations between the EU and Ukraine and facilitates access to EU funding for Ukrainian researchers. The Office, which has been operating for over a year and a half on the basis of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, is fully funded by the European Commission, which is an unprecedented case and a recognition of its extreme importance”, said Igor Taranov.

In addition, the Head of the Office mentioned the total amount of funding received by the Ukrainian participants of the Horizon Europe Programme, which is currently significantly higher than in the previous FP Horizon 2020. The speaker also emphasised that in 2021, only one Ukrainian university coordinated Horizon 2020 project, and in 2025 – ten! Thus, successful participation in the EU’s 9th Framework Programme not only strengthens the national science and research sector, but also enhances Ukraine’s position in the international arena.

Among the other panelists were Yevhen Metzger, Chairman of the Ukrainian Financial Housing Company, Wesley Jordan, CEO of Vision Fund Ukraine, Veronika Tkachenko, Project Manager of the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, Oleksandr Romanishyn, Board Member of ISE Group, Anna Rogers, International Development Director of TheCityUK, Andriy Kolodyuk, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, and Kamila Mikhalkevich, Co-Founder and CEO of Most Capital Connections.

The event was organised by Foreign Business Hub and EUCONLAW Group. The goal is to bring together all parties interested in strengthening economic partnerships between Ukrainian communities and international investors and financial institutions, promoting investment attraction, implementing effective financial instruments, as well as strengthening the resilience and capacity of communities and increasing the competitiveness of regional businesses.

We remind that on October 31, 2024, the First Foreign Investment Congress was held in Kyiv with the participation of Igor Taranov, Head of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, who also acted as a leading speaker.