On May 18–19, 2026, the large-scale Ukrainian-Polish-German Expert Forum 2026 took place in Wrocław, where experts discussed the strategic future of trilateral cooperation. One of the highlights of the business panel was a presentation by Yulia Popovych, a graduate of the Business Administration program (Key Executive MBA 2020) and managing partner at the Jus Collegium Law Firm, who presented in-depth research on the dynamics of foreign companies entering the Ukrainian market through the Prozorro platform. The discussion was moderated by UCU Vice Rector Dmytro Sherengovsky and Olena Gemusova, a representative of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (SUP).
Yulia Popovych’s presentation, titled “Foreign Companies in Ukraine’s Public Procurement: From Failure to a Strategy for Success,” was based on an evidence-based analysis of data from the Prozorro platform for the period 2024–2026. According to the study’s findings, over the past two years, 611 non-residents from 45 countries participated in Ukrainian procurement. The total value of contracts signed with foreign companies amounted to 47.7 billion hryvnias, covering 1,190 successful tenders.
The report paid particular attention to partners from Poland and Germany. Poland emerged as the clear leader in terms of the number of participants (81 companies) and the total value of contracts, which reached 7.3 billion hryvnias. Germany demonstrated high efficiency, ranking among the top three in terms of the number of successful procurements—101 tenders totaling 3 billion hryvnias.
Interestingly, the win rate of foreign businesses in Ukraine is higher than that of Ukrainian companies, suggesting a positive trend in foreign participation in tenders. For example, the win rate for Polish companies is 45%, for German companies—39%, while for Ukrainian companies—35%. A real revelation was the comparison of average contract values for foreign businesses versus those for Ukrainian businesses. Specifically, the average contract value for non-residents on Prozorro is 88 times higher (33.4 million hryvnias) than that of Ukrainian businesses (0.38 million hryvnias). This means that foreign businesses win more high-value contracts.
“The analysis shows that the win rate could be even higher with more thorough preparation and a strategic approach to market entry,” notes Yulia.
Yulia Popovych conducted a detailed analysis of the reasons behind the failures of foreign businesses, categorizing them into strategic and procedural mistakes. The expert cited insufficient preparation by foreign companies to enter the Ukrainian market as a typical strategic mistake, specifically the lack of market analysis to identify typical product requirements, technical specifications, and prices, even before selecting a tender and preparing a bid proposal. The main procedural errors, which, in the expert’s opinion, could have been avoided with proper preparation for entering the tender market, are incomplete documentation and discrepancies between the information provided in the participant’s bid and the supporting documents.
For example, many companies were rejected for failing to submit the numerous documents required by the contracting authorities, for failing to provide translations of required documents, for failing to submit certificates or documents confirming performance of similar contracts, and for failing to rectify deficiencies within 24 hours after the company was declared the tender winner. “To minimize the risk of rejection in tenders, it is important to conduct a preliminary market analysis on Prozorro to compile the core set of documents typically required in a specific industry, prepare the company for the usual requirements, and analyze the competitive environment.”
A graduate of the UCU Business School provided recommendations to foreign partners on institutional-level measures to improve the dynamics of foreign businesses entering the Ukrainian market.
“Advocating for Ukraine’s public procurement sector to foreign partners using facts rather than assumptions is the foundation for constructive dialogue, identifying real barriers to foreign companies entering the Ukrainian market, overcoming them, and enhancing Ukraine’s investment attractiveness,” concluded Yulia Popovych.
About the Forum
The Ukrainian-Polish-German Expert Forum 2026 is a high-level trilateral platform bringing together leading analysts, business leaders, and politicians from Ukraine, Poland, and Germany. The event was jointly organized by the Ukrainian Catholic University, the UCU Foundation in Poland, and the College of Eastern Europe (KEW) in partnership with the European Commission and the City of Wrocław.
The forum culminated a series of roundtables held in early 2026 that focused on three main areas: economic cooperation (the “Business as a Bridge” panel), human capital development, and a new security architecture in Europe. The main goal of the event is to develop a Joint Expert Communiqué—a document containing specific political and economic recommendations for the governments of the three countries on strengthening regional resilience and rebuilding Ukraine.
