Володимир Лавренчук на URC 2026: наступний виклик для України — перетворити стійкість на інвестиційну привабливість

Support for veterans, community development, financing for entrepreneurship, and energy independence projects should be among the priorities for Ukraine’s recovery. This was stated by Volodymyr Lavrenchuk, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Oschadbank, during senior-level conversations at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk.

He presented his assessments and proposals at events organized by the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, in particular at a closed-door roundtable with the Atlantic Council dedicated to Ukraine’s investment opportunities in the midst of and after the war.

During the discussion, Volodymyr Lavrenchuk highlighted the resilience of Ukraine’s financial system and the role of institutions that ensure the continuity of economic processes amid a full-scale war.

“More than four years of full-scale war, and Ukrainians aren’t lining up at ATMs. The banking system keeps working, businesses are servicing customers, and critical infrastructure is functioning. Confidence in the economy is measured not only by financial indicators but precisely by this extraordinary resilience of institutions and society. The next challenge for Ukraine is to transform this resilience into investment attractiveness,” noted Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Oschadbank.

According to Volodymyr Lavrenchuk, the experience of recent years has shown that a state-owned bank can be one of the leaders in private sector lending. This is facilitated by contemporary approaches to risk management, the use of data to assess customers’ creditworthiness, cooperation with international financial institutions, and the maintenance of a broad regional network, which allows the Bank to stay connected to its customers and local communities.

Over four years of full-scale war, Oschadbank has provided EUR 1.5 billion in financing to small and medium-sized businesses. More than 60% was financed through risk-sharing instruments provided by international financial institutions, and another 20% or so was supported by international grant programs.

Oschadbank's Supervisory Board Chairman paid particular attention to the business lending figures in border regions and those close to the front lines.

Volodymyr Lavrenchuk emphasized that the credit portfolio quality indicators in these regions remain comparable to the national average, demonstrating the feasibility of continued business financing even in areas close to the combat zone.

“Today, the share of non-performing loans in Oschadbank’s SME military portfolio stands at 2.1%. This figure demonstrates that risks can be effectively managed even amidst a war. At the same time, Ukraine’s recovery will require significant investment. But ultimately, its driving force will be thousands of successful local businesses and resilient communities across the country,” noted Volodymyr Lavrenchuk.

According to Lavrenchuk, the next stage in the country’s development should be the concentration of investments in areas that will enable long-term economic growth: support for veterans, community development, entrepreneurship, and energy independence.

At the same time, he emphasized the significance of supporting companies and investors who continue to operate in Ukraine during the war, as well as the development of programs by international financial institutions aimed at supporting the country’s recovery.