© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Citadel CEO Ken Griffin speaks on the 2022 Milken Institute International Convention in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., Might 2, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photograph
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By Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Lananh Nguyen
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday pressed his case for monetary assist for his nation with a few of America’s finest recognized billionaires who made their fortunes in industries starting from finance to tech and sports activities.
The small variety of hedge fund managers, actual property buyers, philanthropists, bankers and former authorities officers met with Zelenskiy in New York as he laid out the necessity for extra funding in Ukraine now, 19 months after Russian forces invaded.
The assembly was scheduled for hours after Zelenskiy addressed the United Nations Safety Council about Russia’s invasion and its penalties. The assembly was organized by JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:), the sources mentioned.
Billionaire buyers Ken Griffin, Invoice Ackman, and Blackstone Group (NYSE:) president Jonathan Grey, who are sometimes invited to weigh in by central bankers and coverage makers on political points, had been invited to fulfill Zelenskiy.
Robert Kraft, chief govt of the New England Patriots soccer crew, Henry Kissinger, a former United States Secretary of State, former Google (NASDAQ:) CEO Eric Schmidt, politician, philanthropist and businessman Mike Bloomberg, a former mayor of New York, and actual property investor Barry Sternlicht, additionally joined the assembly, which was held at Ukraine’s mission to the United Nations.
The group sat round a desk and listened to Zelenskiy, talking in English and flanked by aides, make his case for investing in his nation, coupled with an urgency to lend extra assist now, a number of the attendees mentioned.
The group of bankers who convened the assembly to debate funding in Ukraine included JPMorgan executives Mary Callahan Erdoes, its CEO of asset and wealth administration, and Vince LaPadula, its CEO of office.
Ukraine has tried to lock in monetary assist from enterprise leaders to assist rebuild the nation.
Representatives for Griffin’s Citadel, and Ackman’s Pershing Sq. Capital Administration and different attendees declined to remark.
A spokesperson for Zelenskiy and Ukraine’s mission to the United Nations in New York didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
A few of the attendees have already donated thousands and thousands.
Ackman, whose great-grandfather emigrated to the USA from Ukraine, in February pledged $3.25 million to assist purchase greater than a dozen ambulances for Ukraine, based on his faculty pal Whitney Tilson who leads the venture to purchase the automobiles. Because the begin of the conflict, Ackman’s basis has donated roughly $24 million to assist Ukraine, an individual acquainted with the numbers mentioned.
Griffin, who final week laid out a roadmap for his philanthropic giving, final yr pledged to donate $3 million for scholarships to assist Ukrainian college students examine science, expertise, engineering and math.
Earlier than the assembly in New York, the White Home appealed to Congress to approve billions of extra {dollars} of assist for Ukraine.
With the preventing heading right into a second winter, American enterprise executives and others have mentioned that curiosity within the conflict might fall off particularly as subsequent yr’s U.S. presidential election picks up steam.
Howard Buffett, whose father Warren is commonly thought-about among the many world’s most profitable buyers, on Wednesday mentioned he might step up his personal assist for the nation to protect in opposition to Ukraine “fatigue.”
Fox Information first reported Zelenskiy’s assembly with the buyers.
