Burak Pehlivan: Turkey is now largest investor in Ukraine

Editor’s Note: The following is a Q&A interview with Burak Pehlivan, the chairman of the International Turkish Ukrainian Business Association.

Kyiv Post: How long have you been at TUID?

Burak Pehlivan: I became a member of TUID in 2010 and since 2016 I have been the chairman of the association.

KP: Why did you devote your life to Ukraine-Turkish trade?

BP: I believe if Turkey has prosperous, economically strong, peaceful neighbor countries, it means Turkish citizens would be more prosperous too. We have a very big untapped economic potential with Ukraine. Unfortunately, we couldn’t use this potential for many decades. However, over the recent years, we have been realizing part of it. It means Turkish and Ukrainian businesses and of course our nations are benefiting from this tendency. As the chairman of the Turkish-Ukrainian Business Association, my main task is to work for increasing the trade and investment volume between Turkey and Ukraine as much as I can. And Turkish-Ukrainian relations are at such great level, let’s call it the Golden Age and both economies are completing each other so well, with what we do for improving the relations more, we get splendid positive results.

KP: Why do so many Turkish businesses advertise in the Kyiv Post (we’re happy, of course)?

BP: In 2020, Turkey became the largest foreign investor in Ukraine. The Turkish investment in Ukraine has already exceeded $4.1 billion. More than 700 Turkish countries operate in Ukraine. Unlike in many countries, Turkish businesses are not only active in Ukraine in such conventional sectors as construction, food processing and textile, at least in 10 different sectors, from shoe care products to shaving gels, cosmetics to machinery they are market leaders. Our mutual trade volume will grow this year probably around 50%. Almost every day a new Turkish and Ukrainian company starts cooperation. We have also many members from other countries and we believe cooperation between Turkish and Ukrainian businesses in other countries makes sense too.

The Kyiv Post is one of the most-read English-language newspapers in Eastern Europe and is popular for foreign expats, foreign investors, English-speaking Ukrainians.  Considering Kyiv Post’s popularity, and the big number of diversified Turkish businesses and international companies who makes business or investment via Turkey to Ukraine, it is a logical result to see so many Turkish advertisements in the Kyiv Post.