New York - Altru Institute, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Venture Capital Association (UVCA) and Ukraine Business News, convened its inaugural “Invest in Ukraine” meeting at Latham and Watkins on Monday evening, bringing together executive insiders and Ukraine advocates to discuss effective investment approaches to stabilize the country’s economy now, and set a foundation for a peaceful and prosperous region in the coming years.

The highlight of the evening was the Ukraine State Property Fund discussion, taped earlier that day, with Property Fund Chair, Rustem Umerov, and UVCA Supervisory Board Chair, Andriy Kolodyuk, moderated by Altru Institute CEO, Brett Johnson.

Rustem spoke of Ukraine’s inevitable sovereignty, and the challenges of doing business, all while upgrading standards in an emergency market. A good portion of the meeting focused on the importance of overcoming both the stigma and the basis of corruption, for Ukraine to re-emerge after the crisis alongside NATO and the EU.

Mr. Kolodyuk described working with Mr. Umerov in investment circles since 2014, and of his confidence in the Property Fund Chair to meet the challenges at hand. The UVCA Chair went on to emphasize the need for joint ventures between government and small and medium enterprises, even now as war rages.

The insights from these two Ukraine insiders gave those in attendance a high level view of the stakes and possibilities now, in the former Soviet and future NATO state. The business and ministry leaders both expressed confidence in the country’s resilience and inevitable win, and shared grounded insights on the state of the country now, and for investing in Ukraine for the long term.

An impressive audience of Ukraine supporters filled the 34th floor LW conference hall, with artists, investors, and connected Ukrainians all present to share their own experience and insights, making the evening especially rich ground for the prospects discussed. Among those in attendance, Ukrainian-Americans Sergey Kraytman, Odessa native and Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, Richard Ogilchyn, Executive Director of Grand Founders, and Ilya Dembitski, Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions at CuraLeaf. Best-selling author and macroeconomist Sandra Navidi engaged from the audience, as did artist and activist Edward Akrout, with his wife reporting from the ground in Kyiv. Inge Relph, Executive Director of Global Choices was also on hand, along with “never without a cause” investor and entrepreneur, Sigward Moser. Blue Water Vaccines CEO, Joe Hernandez, came to learn more in support of Ukraine, and to enjoy another informative Altru Institute offering.

The specific focus and the high level information available from the speakers and guests made the night compelling for anyone with an interest in this eastern European “battered giant.”

The Altru Ukraine project convenes again the second week of May, with a focus on the energy sector.