17/03/2026
On March 13, the Ukraine Works - Юкрейн Воркс team was represented at the Atlantic Council conference Ukraine's Human Capital and the Foundations of Recovery and Long-Term Security in Washington, D.C., USA.
The conference was moderated by Shelby Magid — Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center. The event took place in the format of an in-depth discussion with the participation of Lana Zerkal — former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (currently a member of the Ukraine Facility Platform Coordination Committee), Oleg Shymanskyi — Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Daria Zarivna — former Communications Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine (currently a fellow at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics), and Oksana Nechyporenko — Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center.
The speakers emphasized that Ukraine's greatest strategic asset is its people, who today face significant pressure from the Russian Federation. Ukraine's reconstruction will require not only the restoration of infrastructure destroyed as a result of Russian aggression, but also the development and support of human capital — including veterans returning from the front, young entrepreneurs building businesses under wartime conditions, and communities adapting to ongoing challenges.
Ukraine currently faces a significant deficit in infrastructure and human resource capacity in critical sectors, particularly in the energy sector. This is especially evident at the regional level, where there is a shortage of experienced specialists to develop and implement new projects. At the same time, a large share of highly qualified professionals are serving at the front. Continuous attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, combined with the labor shortage in the Ukrainian labor market, create difficult conditions for economic recovery and long-term development.
Despite this, Ukrainian businesses and households demonstrate high resilience, adapting to regular attacks on energy infrastructure through the use of generators, batteries, and decentralized energy solutions. Meanwhile, Ukraine's technology sector continues to show growth and entrepreneurial activity even under wartime conditions, confirming the high potential for innovation and private sector development.
During the discussion, representatives of Ukraine Works - Юкрейн Воркс raised the issue of the cultural adaptation of foreign specialists to Ukrainian values and the integration of foreigners into Ukraine's economy. Our team is grateful to Oksana Nechyporenko for her detailed and substantive comments on this matter.
Discussion participants stressed that Ukraine's reconstruction is not merely a matter of restoring infrastructure. It is an investment in the people, talent, and opportunities that will define the country's economic recovery, its democratic resilience, and its continued integration into the European economic space.
In this context, Ukraine Works - Юкрейн Воркс supports Ukrainian businesses by offering strategic staffing solutions. The agency specializes in the search, selection, testing, and preparation of qualified foreign specialists for employment in Ukraine, helping companies address the labor shortage and maintain operational continuity.
The mission of Ukraine Works LLC is to help Ukrainian companies obtain the human resources they need to grow their businesses, while simultaneously creating new opportunities for Ukrainian citizens — including veterans.
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/ukraines-human-capital-and-the-foundations-of-recovery-and-long-term-security/