Welcome at the Victorian Parliament
On Thursday, 4 September 2025, the Parliament of Victoria, together with the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine Group, formally welcomed a joint delegation from the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) and the Australia–Ukraine Chamber of Commerce (AUCC).
Participants included:
- Ben Carroll, Deputy Premier of Victoria; Minister for Education & Medical Research
- Lee Tarlamis MP, Parliament of Victoria
- Michael Galea MP, Parliament of Victoria
- Gennadiy Chyzhykov, President, UCCI
- Chrestyna Kmetj, Vice President, AUCC; Director of Business & Multicultural Affairs, AFUO
- Valeryia Zabashta, Head of International Business Cooperation, UCCI
- Pavlo Troian, First Secretary (Economics), Embassy of Ukraine in Australia
- Bohdan Wojewidka, Treasurer, AUCC
- Kateryna Argyrou, NSW AUCC Representative; Chair, AFUO
The gathering underscored the strength of people-to-people connections and the importance of business partnerships.
Chrestyna Kmetj highlighted that now is the time for government and business to forge deeper connections with Ukraine. Deputy Premier Ben Carroll acknowledged the vital role of the Ukrainian diaspora in shaping Victoria’s multicultural community. Kateryna Argyrou emphasised the AFUO’s central role in coordinating humanitarian and non-lethal defence aid between the two nations. Michael Galea MP recalled and acknowledged the determination and fortitude he witnessed during his recent visit to Ukraine, during which he met with Gennadiy Chyzhykov and the UCCI.
President UCCI Gennadiy Chyzhykov spoke of Ukraine’s economic resilience in wartime, pointing to new opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, smart farming, renewable energy, IT and innovation, and defence technologies. He also formally introduced and congratulated Chrestyna Kmetj as UCCI’s official Representative in Australia, tasked with deepening trade and investment links between Australian and Ukrainian enterprises.
