President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on 30 December that the United States is preparing formal agreements to bring American and European businesses into Ukraine under special conditions that could triple current wages, according to remarks at an online press conference attended by Euromaidan Press.
The ambitious target underscores how Washington is framing post-war Ukraine not just as a security concern but as an economic opportunity. With Ukrainian salaries reaching around 24,000 hryvnias ($580) monthly in 2025, according to the Ministry of Economy, tripling wages would bring average incomes closer to Central European levels—a transformation that would reshape the country's economic trajectory.
What the "prosperity package" includes
Zelenskyy described ongoing negotiations over what Kyiv calls a "prosperity package"—documents covering Ukraine's economic recovery, job restoration, and return to normal life.
"We are indeed preparing several documents," Zelenskyy said. "President Trump is focused on it. He believes this is task number one—to ensure there are jobs in Ukraine."
The talks have moved into specifics. Both leaders discussed Ukrainian salary levels directly, with the American side pushing for conditions that would allow Western companies to operate under favorable terms negotiated between governments.
"They really want to make it happen through the entry of American business, with special conditions for the Ukrainian market, so that wages could triple," Zelenskyy explained. "And they are indeed formalizing it that way."
The package would require bilateral agreements between Ukraine, the United States, and European governments—a structure that would institutionalize Western economic involvement rather than leaving it to market forces alone.
Recovery money before reconstruction
Zelenskyy emphasized that beyond attracting business investment, Ukraine needs substantial upfront capital to jumpstart recovery.
"At the start, Ukraine needs money—money for recovery. And it should be a serious amount, so that people can return to these specific jobs and wages," he said.
The president added that the economic planning remains conditional: "I think there is great potential in this. But we all understand where it starts. Let's first put an end to this war."
The remarks came two days after Zelenskyy's 28 December meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where both leaders announced progress on a 20-point peace framework while territorial issues—particularly the status of Donbas—remain unresolved.
From minerals deal to wage targets
The economic discussions appear to have evolved considerably since earlier US-Ukraine negotiations. In early 2025, talks centered on a controversial minerals deal that would have given Washington access to Ukrainian critical resources. That agreement encountered turbulence during a heated Oval Office exchange in February before being revived in March.
The current framework suggests a broader approach—one that ties American commercial interests to Ukrainian economic development rather than resource extraction alone.
Zelenskyy did not provide a timeline for when such wage increases might materialize. "I cannot say it will happen immediately after the war ends," he acknowledged, "but the fact that the Americans are thinking about it" marks a shift in how Washington approaches Ukraine's future.
Whether the prosperity package survives contact with actual peace negotiations remains uncertain. Russia has shown no willingness to compromise on its core demands, including full Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas and abandonment of NATO aspirations. Any economic reconstruction plan depends first on achieving what has so far proved elusive: an end to the fighting.
