After I returned to the US from the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month, people asked me, “How was it?” That question cannot be answered in one sentence, so I share my humble take.
I was honored to be invited to attend the panels at Ukraine Davos House by Jaroslawa Z. Johnson, president and CEO of the Ukraine Moldova American Enterprise Fund. It was a pleasure to join Dennis Johnson, chairman of UMAEF, and Lenna Koszarny, founder and CEO of Horizon Capital, the largest Ukrainian investment fund.
It is no exaggeration to say that Ukraine House Davos was presented at the highest level, staffed by professional organizers/managers, through the sponsorship and efforts of UMAEF, Horizon Capital and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, with the leadership of its dynamic board member, Svitlana Grytsenko, as well as the backing of private foundations, including Temerty Foundation and other sponsors.
The energetic Ulyana Khromyak, executive director of Ukraine House, brilliantly led and managed the four-day programs, including 13 panels featuring global business leaders, experts, and journalists who focused on strategic narratives and key issues for Ukraine.
The physical premises and programs ensure that Ukraine House is nominated for the Best Pavilion award in Davos. Ukraine House was chosen as the No. 1 presenting pavilion in 2024 and 2025 by Politico, and this year, we expect to continue this recognition.
The Davos Economic Forum included main events and side events, including a dinner and breakfast hosted by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, which included a panel discussion moderated by Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor in chief of The Economist, and Fareed Zakaria, political commentator, journalist, and host of CNN’s GPS program on Sunday mornings.
What was the message of Davos this year?
In my opinion, it was “Change or Die” – a message depicted in an art piece at Ukraine House: a piercing metal-and-neon light installation with the words on a metal grid, presented by the Pinchuk Foundation and featuring Ukrainian artist Oleksiy Sai.
The message was symbolically placed next to an AI-generated video depicting the bombing of European cities by artists Yarema Malashchuk and Roman Khimei. The huge mural screen featured a video showing missiles – that Russia is using to destroy Ukraine’s infrastructure this winter – being used to destroy Europe’s main cities.
It was a chilling message to Europeans that this war against Ukraine is at Europe’s door. These art pieces signaled that the world order has changed and the atmosphere in the Swiss mountains forebode that changes are coming – in the economies, in world power, and in our thinking.
Who dominated the mood and spirit of Davos? US President Donald Trump, President Zelensky, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were center stage. And Greenland and Ukraine. The international order of the Western alliance has been ruptured, and it was apparent in the speeches. Countries and companies are seeking reliable partners, and partnerships are evolving.
I was proud to see that Ukraine is a major player in the political landscape and is recognized as a leader in innovation, technology, agriculture, and human capital, and is viewed as a dependable partner and global player.
Going into the fifth year of war, pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s supposedly great power is widely noted. Ukraine House welcomed visitors, including major political and corporate figures, who expressed admiration for Ukraine’s military capability, weapons innovations, and, most of all, the Ukrainian people’s defiance and resistance.
Investors are looking to Ukraine to invest in the country’s reconstruction and in companies now serving the international market.
Ukraine House served as a deal-making platform for Ukraine. Congratulations to the remarkable Lenna Koszarny for her leadership in Horizon Capital with the first closing of Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund (HCCF), a €300 million ($356 million) reconstruction fund. Six months after its launch, the company has already raised over 50% of this amount – over €150 million ($178 million).
HCCF was created to invest in sectors that are key to Ukraine’s recovery and growth: energy, digital infrastructure, and construction. Horizon Capital’s strategic goal is to mobilize up to €3 billion ($3.6 billion) investment in Ukraine, using catalytic capital to attract 10 times as much from international strategic investors and financial institutions.
Additionally, Horizon Capital signed the first deal with NOTUS Energy on a 124 MW wind power plant in the Odesa region.
Marta Farion, a former attorney, is a member of the board of directors of the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund, president of Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America, and vice-president of the Ukrainian World Congress.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.