In Ukraine, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) spoke with Kiev’s Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal about a stronger presence of German companies in the war-torn country. Business representatives also took part in the talks, as the government in Kiev announced. “Insuring against war risks is a critically important issue for the economy,” Schmyhal said, according to the statement.
There is a pilot project with the World Bank agency MIGA and the US company DFC. It is very important for Ukraine to find a comparable instrument with Germany, he said.
According to Schmyhal, Ukraine has potential in important raw materials and military technology. In addition, the government in Kiev is counting on Germany’s support in rebuilding the country after the end of the war that Russia started more than 13 months ago.
Bayer wants to invest 60 million euros
The pharmaceutical and crop protection group Bayer wants to invest 60 million euros in the expansion of its seed processing plant in Pochuiky, Ukraine. “We will do our part to support the reconstruction plan for Ukraine and to ensure food security in the region and worldwide,” said a Bayer spokesman for the German Press Agency. Several media had previously reported on the investment plans.
Even before the war, Bayer had invested almost 200 million euros in expanding corn seed production. The additional money is now to be used to finance new agricultural equipment and the construction of two air raid shelters. The facility, which was inaugurated in 2018, employs around 100 people on site and around 250 to 300 seasonal workers. With its plant, Bayer is one of the largest investors in the region, the company emphasized.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has been in Ukraine with a business delegation since Monday and has promised the country help. The purpose of the trip is to give Ukraine a clear signal, Habeck said upon his arrival at the Kiev train station. A sign “that we believe that it will be victorious, that it will be rebuilt, that Europe has an interest not only in providing support in times of need, but that Ukraine will also be an economically strong partner in the future “.
