Meetings

When doing business in Ukraine, it is essential that you understand the history and conflicts between Ukrainians and Russians. Be aware of the backgrounds of your counterparts, and avoid discussing subjects that touch on Ukrainian/Russian relations, as this is a sensitive issue. Forging a strong, personal relationship built on trust is important to Ukrainian businesspeople; you will be expected to participate in lunch- and dinner-time meals, in addition to personal conversation during meetings, in order to build this relationship. Discussions about events outside of the Ukraine are an acceptable and welcome topic. Be patient throughout your business dealings, as each step of the process may take longer than some visitors are accustomed to. 

Preparation

In preparing to do business in Ukraine, it is advisable to try and find a contact to help you with introductions. As does the society in general, Ukrainian business relationships tend to be personal. It is therefore important to initiate contact via a well-regarded third party. Your country’s embassy in Ukraine may have a commercial services division that specializes in helping businesspeople.

It is essential to make appointments at least a month in advance and expect them to be cancelled and rescheduled as the date approaches. E-mail is available, but not widely accepted in Ukraine for business correspondence. It is discouraged as a means of setting up an appointment, and a personal contact is preferred. If that is inconvenient, a phone call should be used. Russian was the business language of the country for about 70 years, but now there is a determined effort to emphasize Ukrainian as the national language. Although English is generally accepted as the second language for business, don’t count on there being much fluency—it will probably be necessary to have a Ukrainian speaker on your team.

Even the slightest attempt by a foreigner to speak Ukrainian elicits great appreciation. A good place to start is to learn a few ice-breaking expressions in basic Ukrainian (at www.foreigndocuments.com, for example).

Keep in mind that the Ukrainians have generally been cut off from contact with the outside world and will show an interest in the cultural happenings of the West. Feel free to discuss subjects you know about, but avoid politics and discussions about sensitive Cold War history.

Scheduling

Punctuality is not a primary priority for you as the visitor, and certainly is not one for your host. A big city like Kyiv is plagued by numerous logistical problems, and traffic on the way to the meeting is a problem. This is an excuse you can always use, and it will be readily believed and accepted. You must give yourself extra time—if you are late, offer your excuse and move on. Phoning in advance if you are delayed is a common courtesy.

On the other hand, be prepared to be flexible when arranging meeting times, as it is very common for meetings to get cancelled and rescheduled even at the last minute.  As a secular country, Ukraine does not observe most religious holidays, although many businesses close on Independence Day (August 24th). Keep in mind that Ukrainian/Eastern Orthodox holidays such as Easter and Christmas sometimes fall on different days than they do on the Western Christian calendar. Unlike many Europeans, Ukrainian businesspeople do not always take their annual vacations in August. However, the summer is a slower period and it may be difficult to get everyone together at that time.

Food plays a central part in all Ukrainian activities, so you can expect either a long working lunch or an extravagant dinner devoted to socializing. It is extremely rude to refuse to eat with your hosts.

Business Attire

Ukrainian business dress is formal and conservative. Men should wear a dark suit and tie; women should wear a business outfit with skirt or slacks, and should avoid short skirts or low-cut blouses. Women are definitely important participants in most business meetings, and can expect to be treated in a modern, professional manner.

The climate varies throughout the Ukraine, with cold winters in the north and hot summers in the south, so pack clothes that are seasonally appropriate.

Meeting Protocol

Ukrainian business culture values rank and authority, and business relations are built on layers of personal trust. Often lower-ranking staff, whose approval you will need to get access to senior, decision-making personnel, will initiate the meetings and overall introductions to the company. This may take time, because there are many layers of bureaucracy that must be penetrated.

Entering the Meeting Room: Hierarchy

It is important to know in advance who the senior person at the meeting is; your contact person should know. It is especially important to try to determine the ethnicity of the participants—Russian or Ukrainian—as each group has different priorities and styles. Similarly, try to learn the correct pronunciation of your counterparts’ names, which in some case will be very difficult, so practice if you can.

Introductions

Greet each of your Ukrainian counterparts personally, making direct eye contact. The most common greeting is “Dopobachenniya.” A strong business handshake is expected from the men; there are no restrictions about shaking women’s hands. Maintain direct eye contact. The custom is repeated at the end of the meeting, but if it is not convenient to personally say goodbye to each person, you must at least acknowledge the senior personnel before leaving.

Ukrainians tend to require a similar amount of personal space as is accepted in Western Europe, so don’t stand too close when talking to people, since it will tend to make them uncomfortable. Ukrainians can initially seem a little stiff and standoffish, but warm up quickly and will then employ animated gestures in their social conversations.

Forms of Address

Ukrainian professionals should be addressed by their occupational titles—for example, doctor or professor. Senior staff should also be addressed as Mr. or Madame; untitled employees are commonly greeted more informally, using their first names. If you have advanced university degrees, it is appropriate to mention them, as they convey additional respectability.

Business Cards

Ukraine is no exception to the common ritual of exchanging business cards, although it is much less formal than in many places. It is considerate to have one side printed in Ukrainian; if you are in a primarily Russian-speaking environment, you may also print the information in Russian. You should always present the card with the native language side up and facing the recipient. Make it a habit to offer your card to everyone you meet, including the receptionist at the business office, but don’t be surprised if only the senior-level people offer cards in return.

Body Language

Be sure to maintain eye contact when speaking with your Ukrainian counterpart— Ukrainians consider it a sign of openness and honesty.

Occasionally you will see women hug each other and men pat each other on the back upon entering or leaving a meeting, even in a business situation. This will most often occur between friends or long-term associates—you will not be expected to act similarly, and certainly not at a first meeting.

Meeting Starters: Small Talk versus "Getting Down to Business"

At the outset of the meeting, visitors are traditionally offered a cup of coffee—along with water, it will often be the only drink available. Ukrainian society is still a tobacco-smoking culture, so be prepared for cigarette smokers. If you have a bad reaction to smoke, it might be better for you to tactfully change seats rather than asking your host not to smoke. If you do ask them to stop, however, they will usually do so, but grudgingly.  

It is important to establish rapport from the outset of the business meeting by engaging in small talk before discussing business. Ukrainians are very curious about events outside of their country, as they are coming from a media-controlled environment. Stay away from Cold War topics, especially those that involve the direction that Ukraine is headed (whether to the East or West). Sports, primarily soccer and basketball, as well as family, are good conversational topics.

Conducting the Meeting

The pace of the business meeting may seem slow to you. Ukrainian business culture requires patience at every level—from discussion, to decision, to implementation—with many bureaucratic hurdles that need to be overcome. Be patient, because your issue will be discussed in due course. Above all, it would be considered extremely rude for you to ask your counterparts to move on and come to the point.

The Ukrainians are not initially an expressive people, but they do warm up quickly. This will become apparent as soon as you take a break for food and drink.

Decision Making

Although the most senior members of any business always make the final decisions, the process can be quite drawn-out in Ukraine. The reasons are generally procedural and logistical, rather than the result of a negotiating strategy. Every decision will seem to require a great deal of signing off, and this process cannot be moved along quickly.

Gifts and Splitting the Bill

Although the exchange of gifts is not an absolute requirement for doing business, a novelty from your country that is not commonly available in Ukraine is an appreciated gesture. You can also expect to receive a locally made Ukrainian handicraft. 

Ukrainian hospitality revolves around food and drink, and you will be expected to participate heartily. It is not automatically assumed that the host will pay, and there will be a very subtle assumption that the side that either initiated the negotiations or is most interested in their success will pay for the first meal. It is considered appropriate, however, for the other side to reciprocate in a few days.

Follow-up

It is advisable to determine before the close of the business meetings how soon a follow-up is expected. The Ukrainians have a reputation for not being very good at paying attention to post-meeting details, specifically deadlines. This is especially true if the discussions at the meeting were not well-focused and left loose ends hanging. Often the highest-level person at the meeting will delegate execution to subordinates, who may not be very efficient at the tasks. Find out who the executors are, how they want to be contacted, what needs to be done, and when. A follow-up of about one week is considered appropriate, and may be expected.