Penny Pritzker, the US special envoy for the reconstruction of Ukraine, visited Kyiv this week with Amentum CEO John Heller, Clayco Inc founder Bob Clark and Westinghouse CEO Patrick Fragman to meet with officials involved in the reconstruction effort.
"I brought the private sector here, our CEOs, because our private sector has confidence in Ukraine's economic resilience, in your people, in the potential, and in the long-term prospects," Pritzker said at a press conference in Kyiv.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal's office said he met with Pritzker and the three US business leaders to discuss investments in Ukraine and the the US for the funding already committed to Ukraine.
Ukrainian Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also held a meeting with the visitors where "we discussed ideas for cooperation in the digitalization of reconstruction and possible cooperation with the US private sector," the minister said in a LinkedIn post. "In particular – development of digital twins, use of artificial intelligence, and rebuilding educational facilities."
Amentum, which carries out various types of contracts for the US government and others, signed an agreement last month to maintain US military equipment used by Ukraine. It has also won a $53 million contract from USAID to support various projects in Ukraine carried out by the agency but AECOM, Amentum's former owner, is disputing that contract.
Westinghouse has worked extensively with the Ukrainian government on nuclear power projects and Clayco, the US construction and design firm, has not publicly disclosed any contracts related to Ukraine.
Pritzker, who has visited Ukraine six times in nine months, also announced this would be her last visit as special envoy.
"I say this with some sadness in my heart. It's never been a secret that congressional requirements limit my time in this role to one year, which is why this will be my last trip to Kyiv as special representative," she told reporters.
