Penny Pritzker became the special representative of the United States in Ukraine, who will be responsible for the economic recovery of the state.
The corresponding decision was made by United States President Joe Biden.
Penny Pritzker comes from a family that emigrated from Ukraine to the States in the 19th century. The American herself is an experienced civil servant, and in the past she served as head of the Ministry of Trade.
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— Pritzker, as special envoy, will bring years of experience and expertise to this position. Working in concert with Ukrainian authorities, our allies and partners, international financial institutions, and the private sector, she will drive U.S. efforts to rebuild the Ukrainian economy. This will include mobilizing public and private investment, identifying priorities for donors, working to open export markets and businesses that have closed due to barbaric Russian attacks and destruction, — Joe Biden said.
The newly appointed US Special Representative will work with Ukraine's international partners, in particular with the Group of Seven (G7) countries, so that the actions of Ukraine's partners can be synchronized. Ms. Pritzker, 64, is expected to encourage pro-investment strategies in Ukraine as well as attract public and private investment from other countries, a senior White House official told the NYT, speaking on condition of anonymity because the appointment has not yet been formally announced.
She plans to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks to begin assessing the state of its economy and meet with political and business leaders.
— Special Envoy Pritzker will help the Ukrainian government implement the reforms needed to strengthen the economy, and will also work with Ukraine to help ensure that when Ukraine begins to recover, it recovers stronger, — Biden added.
The US President recalled that America will continue to consistently help Ukraine defend its freedom.
Pritzker will work at the US State Department, reporting to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
What is known about Pritzker
Penny Pritzker comes from a prominent Chicago family that has its own business empire and long-standing influence in Democratic Party. Her brother, J.B. Pritzker, is the Democratic governor of Illinois. Their father, Donald, was a co-founder of the Hyatt hotel company.
Pritzker herself has founded several of her own business companies, and as President Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary from 2013-17, she was known for her close relationships with business leaders across America. She is also a board member of Microsoft and former chair of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
In the past, Pritzker has said she has known Joe Biden for more than 20 years.
In her statement, Ms. Pritzker noted that as Secretary of Commerce, she “worked with the Ukrainian government to advance reforms, attract the private sector and coordinate actions with partner governments— activities that I will also continue in this position.
She added that her interest in Ukraine has a personal dimension: Ms. Pritzker's family fled persecution from what is now Ukraine in the late 1800s. controlled by Tsarist Russia, and she feels a connection to that country.
As US Secretary of Commerce, she visited Kiev several times, including to announce a $1 billion US loan guarantee for the Ukrainian government A year before, she visited the village where her ancestors lived.
At a press conference during a visit to Kiev in 2014, she said that Ukraine needed to carry out a “huge number of reforms” to ensure that the economy has become more open to foreign direct investment.
Pritsker is also one of hundreds of US citizens whom the Kremlin added to the sanctions list in May, banning them from entering Russia. The Kremlin did not indicate specific reasons for such a step at that time.
