On 7 November, Slovakia hosted the conference “Slovakia–Ukraine Dialogue: A Vision for Shared Prosperity”, organised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy. The event was opened by Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec and Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Daria Marchak. Discussions focused on advancing the implementation of the Ukraine Facility, the EU’s key instrument for supporting reforms, resilience and Ukraine’s economic recovery.
Executive Director of UkraineInvest Maryna Khlystun took part in a panel dedicated to the role of the Ukraine Facility and its investment component — the Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF) — in mobilising the Slovak private sector for Ukraine’s transformational reconstruction.
UkraineInvest presented opportunities for Slovak companies to participate in investment projects in Ukraine through EU-backed instruments, including guarantee schemes and private-sector support tools. Ms Khlystun highlighted that lower insurance costs and access to skilled human capital remain among the most important considerations for investors.
The Government of Ukraine is introducing a mechanism to compensate part of the war-risk insurance premium, enabling businesses across the country to reduce effective insurance rates to around 1%. Compensation is capped at UAH 1 million per year per company and administered by the Export Credit Agency of Ukraine (ECA).
In parallel, the European Investment Bank (EIB), together with the European Commission and other international institutions, is developing UIF instruments to support foreign direct investment (FDI), including guarantee mechanisms and blended-finance solutions aimed at reducing investor risk.
The event also showcased cooperation opportunities in sectors relevant to Slovak enterprises and strategically important for Ukraine, including private investment, PPP initiatives and privatisation projects. Promising areas in the Slovak–Ukrainian border region include:
In cooperation with the European Commission, EIB and other international institutions, UkraineInvest provides comprehensive support to investors, including:
Successful examples of Slovak–Ukrainian industrial cooperation were highlighted during the forum, including Terichem/Tatrafan, AVE and ELTECO/SLOVTERM, which already participate in joint production chains.
A separate working meeting was held between UkraineInvest, representatives of the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister’s Office for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy, and SARIO. The parties agreed to deepen institutional cooperation among practical state and non-state agencies involved in attracting investment; advance the preparation of concrete projects in Ukraine; strengthen matchmaking between Ukrainian and Slovak companies; and organise targeted onsite business delegations, including trade-focused visits. The first new partnerships and projects are expected to be announced in 2026.
To advance this cooperation, UkraineInvest — led by Maryna Khlystun — held a follow-up meeting in Kyiv with Juraj Toporčák, Director of the Department for Ukraine’s Recovery within the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, and his team.
UkraineInvest presented a portfolio of investment opportunities of various scales in the border region, including private initiatives, projects compliant with investment-support legislation and additional opportunities available via the Invest Portal. The Slovak side requested step-by-step guidance for companies planning to enter the Ukrainian market and a list of interested firms to shape a joint project portfolio.
UkraineInvest also highlighted PPP opportunities in the medical and infrastructure sectors, industrial-park development projects, privatisation assets and initiatives for new industrial capacities. The overall cooperation potential spans projects of different sizes, with the shared goal of presenting the first joint results in 2026.
The parties additionally discussed coordination among institutions engaged in mobilising private-sector participation in both countries and the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for cooperation, clarify roles and define joint coordination mechanisms. The initiative to prepare the MoU was proposed by Juraj Toporčák.
Slovak institutions are already actively engaged in UIF implementation — the investment component of the Ukraine Facility, the EU’s €9.3 billion support package for 2024–2027 (€7.8 billion in guarantees and €1.51 billion in grants). UIF supports access to finance for SMEs and mid-caps, human-capital development, social infrastructure, energy, transport, agri-food, critical minerals, digital transformation, green transition, strategic investments and key industrial sectors.
Eximbanka SR is implementing a €90 million project to modernise energy infrastructure at three Ukrenergo substations and one Ukrhydroenergo facility.
As of the end of 2024, Slovak investment in Ukraine totalled approximately USD 200 million, including USD 155 million in equity contributions. Around 830 Slovak-linked companies operate in Ukraine, predominantly in Kyiv, Zakarpattia and Lviv regions, with key sectors including trade, manufacturing, materials production and real estate.
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