Kyivstar Group and Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the development of digital infrastructure in the country, including the potential establishment of a sovereign, AI-ready data centre.
The announcement was made during the 2026 Ukraine Recovery Conference, held in Gdańsk and co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, with the aim to reinforce international support for Ukraine’s reconstruction and future growth.
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The collaboration outlined in the MoU focuses on next-generation computing infrastructure.
It includes the examination of plans to establish a facility within Ukraine dedicated to AI data processing and storage. VEON, parent company of Kyivstar, is expected to contribute financial support and global operational knowledge to the potential project.
A key aspect of the proposed data centre involves securing sensitive data and improving regulatory compliance for critical sectors such as public administration, financial services, defence technology, and research and development (R&D).
By keeping data within national borders and in accordance with Ukrainian regulatory and security standards, the partners aim to enhance information security and stimulate new technological developments.
Ukraine Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev said: “The development of domestic AI infrastructure is an important step in strengthening Ukraine’s economic resilience and technological independence.
“We see strong potential in initiatives that enable secure, sovereign data processing capacity within the country, supporting both public sector modernisation and private sector innovation.”
VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu said: “Ukraine is showing the world what a digital economy built for resilience looks like. Sovereign AI infrastructure keeps a country’s most important data and capabilities at home, where they create the most value for its people and its economy.
“Through our AI1440 strategy, we are bringing augmented intelligence into everyday life across our markets, and supporting this data centre is a natural extension of that commitment in Ukraine.”
Constructing an in-country AI-ready data centre could help reduce latency for AI applications and is considered particularly important for industries and services requiring rapid data processing.
Kyivstar plans to explore opportunities and investment in Ukraine’s AI computing sector as part of the agreement.
