U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Jared Kushner delivered a detailed outlook on Ukraine's future after the end of the war with Russia. Speaking at the annual YES gathering hosted by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, the American diplomat stated that Kyiv has "all the chances and the necessary potential" to become a truly successful country in the post-war order. In his words, the key condition will be building an institutional system capable of finally overcoming corruption and making the state attractive to inflows of foreign capital. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine.
Context of the Speech: the YES Forum and Pinchuk's Role
The remarks were made on the platform of the annual YES forum, which is traditionally organized by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation and brings together representatives of government, business, and the expert community. The choice of this venue for a public statement by the White House special envoy indicates that the topic of Ukraine's post-war reconstruction and the conditions for investment is regarded in Washington as one of the priority tracks of diplomatic work. Kushner, who previously held key positions in the Trump administration, focused his speech not on the military or territorial aspects of the conflict, but precisely on the economic and institutional opportunities that, in his assessment, Ukraine is capable of realizing in the event of a cessation of hostilities.
From Defensive Ingenuity to the Economy
A special place in Kushner's speech was occupied by the idea that the potential and ingenuity which Ukrainian society directed toward defending itself against Russia could subsequently be redirected toward the development of the national economy. The American special envoy expressed the conviction that Ukraine is capable of "fully realizing its potential" and becoming, in his formulation, a "truly exciting country." Such a narrative, linking military experience with civilian economic development, reflects an approach in which post-war reconstruction is viewed not as charitable aid, but as an investment opportunity requiring the creation of transparent and predictable rules of the game for business.
'Prosperity Plan': Work with Zelensky's Team, the World Bank, and BlackRock
Kushner reported that he, together with the team of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is already working on what is called a "prosperity plan." According to him, representatives of the World Bank and the American investment corporation BlackRock are involved in this process. This statement, if it is confirmed by further public data, indicates that the preparation of the architecture of post-war reconstruction is being carried out at a level that goes beyond intergovernmental negotiations and includes the involvement of international financial institutions and private investment capital. The involvement of BlackRock — one of the world's largest asset managers — in the discussion of Ukraine's industrial plan may signal an intention to attract long-term institutional capital to infrastructure and industrial projects.
On Borders and a 'Fair' Outcome
Commenting on the study of Ukraine's potential, Kushner stated: "It was very, very interesting to work on this, namely to understand the full potential of Ukraine. We studied what the industrial plans for it were, what worked and what did not. And, frankly, I think that with regard to Ukraine, since we studied what its potential is if peace comes, regardless of what the Ukrainian border will be, I hope that we will come to something that will be fair and very acceptable to the Ukrainian people." The formulation "regardless of what the Ukrainian border will be" became, perhaps, the most resonant part of the speech, since it leaves the question of territorial arrangement open and does not tie the economic plan to a specific configuration of borders. Earlier, Kushner also named the main obstacle in peace negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine, indicating that the topic of reconstruction is closely linked to the negotiation track.
Assessment of the Significance of the Statements
Kushner's speech is important above all as a public fixation of the fact that within the American administration a perception of post-war Ukraine is forming as an object not only of humanitarian but also of investment policy. The involvement of the World Bank and BlackRock in the work on the "prosperity plan," if these statements are confirmed by subsequent steps, could become the foundation for a long-term reconstruction program. At the same time, everything stated represents the statements of a single speaker, and the specific parameters of the plan, its timelines, and its legal form are not yet disclosed. For Kyiv, the key question remains how exactly the economic plan will be linked to security guarantees and the resolution of the territorial issue, which remain central conditions for a sustainable peace.
