Advancing Peace, Security, and Economic Reconstruction

Delegation to Ukraine

Recently I had the privilege to travel to Ukraine as part of a distinguished delegation of business and think tank leaders, led by General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) KKR and Global Institute. This mission aimed at developing a strategic approach to ceasefire negotiations, long-term security guarantees, and economic reconstruction.

Accompanied by leaders in defense, technology, finance, and policy, the delegation engaged with senior Ukrainian government officials, military leadership, business chambers, and civil society organizations to drive meaningful engagement in Ukraine’s future.

A Vision for Peace and Economic Revival

During multiple high-level discussions, inspired by General Petraeus' poignant and articulate views on establishing lasting peace through economic and security guarantees, I had the privilege of outlining a strategic roadmap emphasizing the critical role of business leadership in securing Ukraine’s future.

My vision for peace and economic redevelopment draws inspiration from an Olympic-style relay race - a collective effort where:

?? The military carried the first baton, bravely defending Ukraine from the onset.

?? The government kept the country running, ensuring resilience and wartime governance. ?? Civil society & NGOs raised global awareness, winning hearts and minds.

?? Now, business leaders and economic stakeholders must pick up the baton and sprint toward the finish line—securing Ukraine’s economic future alongside military, government, and civil society.

"To finish strong, we must move swiftly. We must ensure that the voices of the Ukrainian people are heard, that Ukraine’s economic future is secured, and that peace along the border with Russia is maintained - not just for now, but for the long term." — Valmiki Mukherjee, CISSP, CRISC

Key Meetings and Discussions

Day 1 – Kickoff in Kyiv: Innovation, Cybersecurity, and Defense

We kicked off with a prep meeting with my good friend and colleague Kirill Goncharuk (CFF Leader in Ukraine, Former CIO of Ukrtelecom, Founder of Checkeye).

Following this the delegation went onto join the Brave1 Defense Tech Innovation Forum 2025 – Engagement with Ukraine’s top defense and technology innovators, including:

• Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukrain, General David Petraeus, Chairman KKR Global Institute, Representatives from Quantum Systems, RAND, MIT, Rheinmetall, and European Defence Agency

American University in Kyiv, the Future is Here

We did a Site Visit of the American University in Kyiv (AUK) & Cybersecurity Briefing with the team operating a very vibrant university in a time of war. Learn more at https://auk.edu.ua/en/

Dan Rice, the first President of AUK and staff hosted a dinner for us with a formidable partnership setting up for supporting AUK's need for securing its infrastructure, being the host of the crucial Mental Help Global project, in the capable hands of Clara and supported by her local team lead Antonina.

Day 2 – High-Level Diplomatic Engagement & Investment Strategy

We started the day with a crucial briefing and followed by a day of active meetings and briefings.

Brave 1 Defense Innovation Expo: We started the day with the most thrilling display of an array of defense tech innovation covered a massive exhibition hall from wall to wall with enthusiastic founders and their clients and sponsors fully engaged in how to make the best of these stellar innovation at the frontier of defense tech. Most of these startups did not even exist a couple of years back, and their innovation so far has helped defend Ukraine in the face of Russian might. This would be hard to imagine happening in the US. This was learning was the proverbial drinking straight from the firehose!

U.S. Embassy Meeting – Led by Ambassador Bridget Brink the team from DoS and Economic mission at the US Embassy of Kyiv, provided a deep assessment of the activities and situation in Ukraine in a very fluid environment. With the visit of GEN. Kellogg in town there were a lot of activities planned through the day.

Ministry of Defense Briefing – Discussion with Deputy Minister Dmytro Klimenkov on Ukraine’s defense and security needs, informed directly by his incredibly capable staff took our focus directly into the military capabilities we have seen over the past three years, and what they have done to defend the country and its freedom. This was one of the smartest military leadership I have seen in action. It is hard to imagine how talent and innovation can work together with a young leadership team and defend a vast country as Ukraine.

AmCham Ukraine Dinner – Engagement with key U.S. investors and business leaders, including: Lenna Koszarny, Horizon Capital (Chair), Andy Hunder - President of AAC, Executives from Cisco, McDonald’s, Unilever,

We focused the discussions on structuring a PE Fund for Ukraine’s economic recovery. Following which we shared a framework for the PE Fund setup that the members of the delegation can support.

Day 3 – Defense Demonstration & Startup Ecosystem

? Visit to 3rd Assault Brigade – Live drone flight training & tactical demonstration

? Meeting with iHUB Leadership (Vadym Petrunin, CEO, iHUB)

? Cybersecurity & Startup Engagement – Discussion with Ukraine’s leading cybersecurity firm, Edelweiss

? AUK & Mental Help Global (MHG) Panel – Launch of AI-driven mental health initiative for Ukraine

Dinner with Former Minister of Strategic Industries & Ukrainian Railways CEO, where we had deep discussions on the future of Ukraine, its support of the citizens needs and continued investment into public and private partnerships.

?? Mental Help Global (MHG) Launch at AUK

A significant highlight of the trip was the launch of Mental Help Global (MHG) at the American University in Kyiv—a groundbreaking AI-driven initiative to address Ukraine’s urgent mental health crisis.

The United Nations estimates that a significant portion of Ukraine’s population requires mental health assistance, yet Ukraine has only 0.7 mental health professionals per 100,000 citizens, compared to 10 times that number in the U.S. and Germany.

?? Key Panelists:

• GEN David Petraeus (KKR, Former CIA Director)
• Clara Kaluderovic (Founder & CEO, MHG)
• Former PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk
• Dan Rice (President, AUK)

"Mental health support is as critical to Ukraine’s recovery as economic investment. MHG is a scalable, AI-powered solution that can provide immediate, high-impact mental health assistance to millions of Ukrainians." — GEN. (Ret.) David Patraeus, KKR

Day 4 – National Defense & Security Policy

? National Defense University of Ukraine (NDUU) War Museum Visit

? Meeting with 412th Nemesis Regiment – Ukraine’s Elite Drone Warfare Unit

? Kyiv Security Forum Panel – Featuring:

• GEN David Petraeus, KKR
• Former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk
• EU Ambassador Katerina Mathernova
• NATO Senior Representative Patrick Turner

??? Kyiv Security Forum: A Global Commitment to Ukraine

Discussions highlighted:

• Over €50 billion in military aid to Ukraine and appreciation of defense innovation.
• Ukraine’s push for NATO & EU membership as the ultimate security guarantee and the practical path for either or both.
• The urgent need for increased European defense spending to ensure sustainable peace and security in the region, ensuring that Ukraine has a strong and sustainable defense.
• The economic strain on Russia, with heavy casualties and long-term financial instability which are being overlooked and will ultimately cost heavily for Russia.
• Ukraine’s innovation and resilience as a foundation for future economic strength and how this can be utilized to fuel the economic engine

We ended the trip with a delegation with Dinner generously hosted by Yatsenyuk committing to lasting partnership for sustainable peace and prosperity for Ukraine, the US and the rest of the world.

"Ukraine’s victory and long-term security depend not just on military strength, but on economic resilience. It’s time for the business community to take the lead." — Valmiki Mukherjee

The Road Ahead: Business Leadership as the Key to Ukraine’s Future

The path to a lasting peace and a thriving Ukraine will not come solely from military victories or diplomatic negotiations—it will be driven by economic investment and commercial engagement.

?? Business must now take the lead in rebuilding infrastructure, scaling innovation, and securing long-term prosperity.

?? U.S. investment is critical in embedding Ukraine within global supply chains, technology ecosystems, and energy markets.

?? Trade commitments with the U.S. and EU will anchor Ukraine’s role as a regional powerhouse.

"Ukraine’s military, government, and civil society have fought the hardest battles. Now, it’s time for the global business community to pick up the baton and sprint toward a future of economic prosperity and lasting security." — Valmiki Mukherjee

The delegation concluded its mission with a final security assessment at AUK before departing Kyiv—leaving with a renewed commitment to supporting Ukraine’s victory, security, and economic resurgence.

#UkraineRebuild #SecurityGuarantees #BusinessLeadership #PeaceThroughCommerce #CFF