Yeah the reason is primarily corruption. There's a reason so many Americans specifically related to the state dept either quit their jobs and took up in Ukrainian companies, or directly started investing in Ukraine in the lead up to 2014 and the eventually coup that lead to zelensky being in power. Ukraine isn't special. It holds no real significance for a US company or investment firm based on its laws or government. But cheap mineral rights and a complete lack of environmental regulation thanks to a captured government? That's just easy money that also denies a self made US enemy that easy money. And all for the price of the Ukrainian population.