Kyiv, February 18, 2026: Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has accused Russia of deliberately targeting American businesses operating in Ukraine, calling the strikes an attack not only on Ukraine but also on the United States’ economic interests.
In a strongly worded statement, Sybiha said Russian forces had struck facilities linked to major US companies, including the Kyiv office of Boeing, a plant operated by Flex in Mukachevo, and a facility belonging to Bunge in Dnipro.
“Russia is attacking not only the Ukrainian people but also the American taxpayer. These were strikes against the American economy,” Sybiha said.
According to the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, nearly half of US companies operating in the country have been directly affected by Russian attacks since the start of the full-scale war.
The Chamber reported that 47% of US companies in Ukraine have sustained physical damage due to Russian strikes; 57% have seen staff members wounded and 38% have had employees killed during the conflict.
The figures underscore the growing risks faced by foreign investors and businesses amid the ongoing war.
Sybiha also criticized the Kremlin’s diplomatic messaging toward Washington, noting that throughout 2025 and early 2026, Moscow has floated proposals for a “reset” in economic relations with the United States, including outreach to the administration of former US President Donald Trump.
While publicly advocating for improved economic ties and a “business-first” approach, Russia has simultaneously targeted facilities linked to US corporations, he said.
“Moscow claims it seeks a ‘business-first’ relationship with the US, but attacking your partner’s factories hardly constitutes a partnership,” Sybiha remarked.
He described the Kremlin’s overtures as a “Potemkin village,” suggesting they are designed to create an illusion of cooperation while undermining American influence in Europe.
In contrast, Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine is offering what he called mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States across a range of sectors, including rare earth minerals, high technology, defense collaboration, and drone production.
“We already have success stories and wish to expand them further, including through the Prosperity Plan,” he said.
The foreign minister argued that a sovereign and economically growing Ukraine would represent a strategic win for American interests in Europe. “A sovereign and free Ukraine with a growing GDP will be a major strategic victory for American interests in Europe, a massive market for American goods and services, and a strategic defeat for Moscow,” he added.
