Page 48 - bne IntelliNews monthly magazine December 2024

48 I Eastern Europe bne December 2024
his first comments on Ukraine in an interview on November 14.
The US ran out of money for Ukraine
at the start of this year and even after Congress approved a $61bn aid package on April 20, Zelenskiy complained earlier this month that only 10% of this aid has since arrived in Ukraine.
Trump’s team are currently thrashing out a plan for the Ukrainian war and nothing has been decided, according to US reports, but most of the plans involve Ukraine ceding up to 20% of its territory to Russia and the creation of some form of demilitarised zone in between.
The White House has said repeatedly the final decision on holding talks and the terms agreed lie with Kyiv and so Zelenskiy’s resistance plan could be an alternative to a ceasefire that will allow Kyiv to continue the war on its own, without US backing.
Zelenskiy says Bankova (Ukraine’s equivalent of the Kremlin) aims to mobilise Ukraine’s internal resources to achieve a “secure and just victory” in the ongoing conflict with Russia. The plan will address key areas from national security to cultural sovereignty, the president said.
“There are ten points [of the internal Resilience Plan] in total, which will be presented next week, and for each point, together with Ukrainian civil
society, together with everyone ready
to contribute rational ideas, together with business, we will prepare a foundational, doctrinal document
for Ukraine and for our resilience.
With specific annexes; step by step,” Zelenskiy explained, emphasising the collaborative approach behind the plan.
The Resilience Plan seeks to channel Ukraine’s internal capacities to secure what Zelenskiy described as "victory," a term he claimed as integral to Ukraine’s collective national spirit. “Each one of us – every Ukrainian – millions who dream of ending this war in a way that is just for Ukraine and who work and fight toward that goal,” he asserted.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) situation looks increasingly desperate as the Armed Forces of Russia (AFR) “slice through” Ukraine’s defence, according to a recent report by The Economist, and as bne IntelliNews
has reported, Ukraine is increasingly running out of men, money and materiel.
Security, a key pillar of the Resilience Plan, was discussed in depth on Novem- ber 14, covering comprehensive safety measures across Ukraine’s administrative regions, including every oblast and hro- mada. [an administrative district covering a few villages or a town], Zelenskiy said as cited by Ukrainska Pravda. “This is fun- damental. A safe space that every person
needs. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine have developed some good solutions. We will definitely implement everything.”
The Resilience Plan also touches on energy security and defence capabilities, both critical after Russia destroyed half of Ukraine’s generating capacity following an escalation in the missile barrage that began in March.
“We have already addressed points related to energy – everything has been prepared in detail – as well as armaments, including our own production and cooperation with allies,” Zelenskiy added reports Ukrainska Pravda, hinting at potential new initia- tives to bolster domestic production just as temperatures in Kyiv fall to zero and the first snows arrive.
In addition to physical security, the
plan appeals to Ukraine’s new sense of national pride and will dedicate signifi- cant focus to Ukraine’s cultural sover- eignty. During the discussions, Zelenskiy highlighted the importance of preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage, promoting contemporary cultural expression and strengthening cultural diplomacy to maintain Ukraine's global presence.
“And, to that end, fostering real and effective unity within Ukraine’s cultural community. This is part of our strength and an element of guaranteeing Ukraine's ties with the global world,” he said.
Finding workers in wartime Odesa Clare Nuttall in Odesa
Set among the tall grey apartment blocks and tree-lined streets of Ukraine’s third-largest city Odesa, the office of the Odesa branch of the State Employment Service has a challenging task complicated by the demographic upheavals since the start of the war.
The loss of control over large parts of eastern Ukraine to Russia, coupled with the departure of men to the frontline
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and the migration of millions of Ukrai- nians to other European countries, has had a devastating impact on the econ- omy. Companies have been forced to relocate, and some have pivoted to new activities to respond to the economic damage inflicted by the war.
For Odesa region, the site of Ukraine’s vital Black Sea ports, these effects
are magnified as it grapples with
disrupted trade, naval blockades, and missile strikes. Given the massive shifts in population, one of the greatest challenges for companies operating under wartime conditions is simply finding people to work for them.
Fighting for survival
All this leaves small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) fighting for survival. Maria Gutsman, team leader