The number of individuals who believe that the situation in their business will improve has doubled over the past six months – from 16% to the current 32%, according to the results of the "Business During War" survey conducted by the European Business Association, as reported by Kontakty.
Over the last six months, the number of executives who positively assess the state of their business has increased from 27% to the current 40%. Meanwhile, 46% evaluate the situation as satisfactory and 14% as negative.
More than three-quarters of companies – 77% – will continue to operate in Ukraine, regardless of whether hostilities conclude this year. Only 4% suggest that they might reconsider their presence in the Ukrainian market if the war continues.
At the same time, only one-third of the surveyed company executives (32%) are convinced that hostilities will end this year, while 25% believe that this will not happen.
By early 2025, 75% are operating at full capacity. 24% are working with restrictions and 1% are not operating at all. Six months ago, 64% of companies were fully operational and 36% were working with limitations.
Entrepreneurs cite the lack of qualified workers and mobilization (75%), the war and occupation of territories (63%), and economic instability (54%) as the most significant negative factors affecting their businesses. Six months ago, attacks on the Ukrainian energy system were among the top three challenges, but this factor has now dropped to fourth place.
Over the past six months, there has been a trend towards an increase in the number of mobilized workers. In 85% of the surveyed member companies of the Association, there are currently employees serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 41% of cases, the number of mobilized individuals reaches up to 10% of the total number of conscripts (down from 52% in the last wave). In 36% of cases, the number of mobilized reaches 10-20% (compared to 28% six months ago), and in 8% it is 20-30%.
About half (48%) of companies report that among the mobilized or volunteers, there are specialists critical to the operation of the enterprise.
The survey was conducted from February 5 to February 16, 2025, with participation from 102 top managers of member companies of the European Business Association.