Rebuilding Ukraine with Mr. Pavlo Kukhta

Speakers: Pavlo Kukhta (Center for Economic Solutions) and Guest Host Jack Gaines (One CA Podcast)

Date: 20 June 2024

Speaker Session Summary

The ongoing Russian invasion has dramatically affected Ukraine’s industry and economy, forcing Ukraine to reimagine and rebuild its industrial base and market structure. Mr. Kukhta discussed how Ukraine can rebuild its economy through foreign investment and partnerships. He emphasized the importance of restructuring the Ukrainian economy around the private sector and a free market, like many developed economies in Western Europe. Achieving full membership in the European Union (EU) is also a key goal for Ukraine, as it would help remove the country as a physical and ideological battleground between the West and Russia. 

Joining the EU and founding a free market would also contribute to a decrease in corruption, according to Mr. Kukhta. He noted that the reconstruction is proceeding at an appropriate pace, despite some Ukrainians urging for faster progress. Mr. Kukhta expressed confidence that Ukraine will be able to protect its local businesses and develop its industry with an export-oriented mindset, alleviating concerns that foreign companies might outcompete Ukrainian industry. He emphasized that Ukraine will be able to protect its most important industries, while allowing foreign companies to come to Ukraine and build new industry.  

Speaker Session Recording

Briefing Materials

Biography: Pavlo Kukhta is a Ukrainian economist and politician. He graduated from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. In 2018, he studied at Aspen Institute Kyiv. Kukhta is an economist at the Center for Economic Solutions. He cooperated with the Reanimation Package of Reforms. From 2015 to 2019, he worked as an adviser to the Minister of Finance.  From 2016 to 2019, he was an adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine. In the July 2019, Ukrainian parliamentary election Kukhta failed as a candidate of Voice to get elected to parliament. His 25th place on the national election list was 8 places behind the elected members of the party. From September 2019 to April 2020, Kukhta served as First Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture. On 4 March 2020, he was appointed as the Acting Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture.