Rebuilding Ukraine: France and Ukraine approve €200 mln for 19 critical infrastructure restoration projects
Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko during her visit to Paris. Photo: Ministry of Economy of Ukraine
In Ukraine, plans are underway to implement nineteen projects across energy, healthcare, water supply, infrastructure, and demining sectors, backed by financial support from France totaling 200 million euros.
The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported this.
As noted, during a visit to Paris, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko discussed projects for the restoration of Ukraine with French government officials, including Ministers Eric Lombard and Jean-Noel Barrot, and representatives of French business.
"We are grateful to France for the strategic partnership. This agreement provides Ukraine with 200 million euros through the Fund for Ukraine, which will be directed to reconstruct critical infrastructure. Of these, 60 million will support the energy sector," Svyrydenko emphasized.
The parties jointly processed dozens of applications and the government approved the first 19 projects at a meeting of the Strategic Investment Council. These are projects in the following areas:
- healthcare,
- energy,
- infrastructure,
- humanitarian demining,
- and other areas.
All selected projects will be implemented within 5 to 16 months.
According to Svyrydenko, the total number of projects submitted for funding reached 600 million euros.
The Ukrainian minister noted that this agreement will significantly strengthen the energy potential of cities needing assistance. Among them are Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia and other regions. The financing will allow:
- to modernize outdated infrastructure,
- to implement digital solutions,
- to restore damaged facilities,
- to diversify energy sources,
- to switch to green energy.
The funds will also go to humanitarian demining, which is critically important for restoring economic activity in frontline and deoccupied regions. After all, Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. More than 138,000 sq. km of its territory is contaminated with explosives—almost a quarter of the area of France.
For reference:
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized during a joint meeting of the government and the European Commission that, according to rough estimates, the reconstruction of Ukraine could cost 500 billion euros.
Shmyhal noted that the reconstruction of Ukraine will require financial resources, and the government believes that frozen Russian assets should serve as the primary source for reconstruction.
In addition, the United Kingdom is allocating 25 million pounds sterling to launch the SPIRIT program, which will support inclusive and sustainable social reconstruction in Ukraine.
