Ukraine’s first company to list on the Nasdaq marks “a great step forward” that underscores closer economic ties with the U.S., retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Mark Cancian, a senior defense analyst, told Newsmax on Sunday.
“This is a great step forward for Ukraine. It shows that economically, the United States and Ukraine are getting closer,” Cancian said on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend,” adding that the move has been one of President Donald Trump’s goals.
“Economic connections and the fact that it’s on Nasdaq indicate some belief that Ukraine will be around over the coming years,” he noted. “So it’s not a game changer, but it is a good step and a good indicator.”
The milestone came as Ukrainian officials and U.S. business leaders rang the opening bell in New York last week to celebrate the inclusion of Kyivstar, a Ukrainian digital company, on the Nasdaq. It is the first time a firm from Ukraine has entered the U.S. market in this way, even as the country continues to fight Russia’s invasion and cope with mounting civilian casualties.
Cancian cautioned that while such economic moves are meaningful, they are unlikely to shift the course of the war. At the same time, he said they demonstrate a long-term vision of Ukraine as a functioning economy and partner for Western investors.
Turning to diplomacy, Cancian said the prospects for Trump’s proposed trilateral summit among the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia remains uncertain.
“We all hope that it will happen because that’s critical to bringing an end to the conflict,” he said. “Unfortunately, Russia does not seem to be willing to commit seriously to negotiations. It believes that it’s winning the war. It believes that time is on its side. It has made very high demands for additional territory. So the preliminaries for a high-level summit that will accomplish something don’t seem to be in place.”
On potential compromises, Cancian suggested Kyiv may be willing to accept some flexibility on Crimea but not broader concessions.
“Officially, they want all of their territory back,” he said. “Crimea looks like it would go to Russia. The Ukrainians haven’t pushed back as hard on Crimea. Crimea is a little [bit of a] gray area.”
Cancian added that “the red line is about further advances and further territorial concessions.”
Ukraine might accept a ceasefire along the current front line, he said, but “they probably won’t want to give up sovereignty, at least officially, to the territory that’s been lost. But we might find some way around that. But they’re not going to give up additional territory that Russia has been demanding.”
Cancian said the bottom line is that Ukraine’s push for economic recognition abroad shows resilience, but the war’s outcome will depend on battlefield dynamics and on whether Russia becomes willing to engage in genuine negotiations.
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