Strengthening Ukraine collaboration: High level delegation at SLU

The visit brought together representatives from government, finance, agribusiness — and notably, H.E. Svetlana Zalishchuk, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Sweden, whose participation underscored the importance of strengthened cooperation.

Meeting with SLU leadership

The programme opened with a meeting between the delegation and SLU’s leadership, including Vice-Chancellor Maria Knutson Wedel and Pro Vice-Chancellor Ylva Hillbur. Discussions centred on SLU’s international mission, the university’s long‑standing engagement in Ukraine, and how Swedish expertise in agriculture and sustainability can contribute through collaboration in Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Ambassador Zalishchuk contributed a crucial and passionate diplomatic perspective, highlighting Ukraine’s priorities for rebuilding its agricultural sector and the value of academic partnerships in this process.

A diverse delegation from government, finance, and agribusiness

The delegation brought together representatives from government, finance, and agribusiness, including Soya Group, the Ministry for Rural Affairs, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and Östkontoret. This diverse mix of policy expertise, investment perspectives, and sectoral experience created a strong foundation for discussing Ukraine’s agricultural recovery and identifying areas where Sweden can contribute meaningfully. The dialogue also highlighted how Sweden and Ukraine can learn from one another and develop together through shared challenges, complementary strengths, and long‑term collaboration.

SLU’s Ukraine projects and future plans

Following short introductions, Sara Gräslund (SLU Global) presented an overview of SLU’s ongoing and planned work in Ukraine. Contributions from Brian Kuns and Oksana Valetska, highlighted SLU’s engagement in rural development, agricultural transformation, and capacity development — areas where Ukrainian partners have expressed strong interest.

Ambassador Zalishchuk’s reflections reinforced the relevance of these initiatives and the need for long‑term, knowledge‑based collaboration.

The final session focused on how Swedish agribusiness can be better integrated into Sweden’s development cooperation, particularly in relation to Ukraine.