Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at a session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine

Good afternoon, dear colleagues, dear Ukrainians.

We are starting a regular meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. An incredibly fierce struggle continues in the east and south of our country. The enemy does not abandon efforts to breaсh our defenses, capture and destroy Ukrainian cities.

The russians are indifferent about our settlements. They are not native to them. That is

why they are so cruel. Therefore, shelling of residential buildings and the killing of civilians. The russian army fails to understand what for and why they are fighting here. Unlike the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people.

Apart from fighting for Ukrainian land, we are struggling to continue to live freely, prosperously and happily on this soil. To raise the next generations of Ukrainians here. And while russians are raving about the past, we are thinking about the future.

We are engaged in shaping a vision for a new Ukraine. That is why our Government sees it essential to devise a plan for the restoration and transformation of our state now. This is, in fact, a key topic that I would like to raise today.

Operational recovery is already underway. The Government has allocated UAH 1.4 billion to Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Zhytomyr regions. This is the money to resume light, water, gas supplies, to construct temporary bridges, clear roads and take other priority measures.

Also today we will decide to direct UAH 56 million for Mykolayivvodokanal to start drilling of artesian wells near Mykolayiv and to provide inhabitants of the city with water.

All of us are well aware of the fact that a lot of money is needed to restore Ukraine, and even more to carry out сardinal transformation.

Ukraine has already obtained EUR 4.5 billion from our international partners and friends. Over the past week, USD 500 million has come from the World Bank. Importantly, this is grant funding that needn’t to be repaid. We are especially grateful for such support. This helps us to maintain all social benefits in full, as well as to open new assistance programs.

Returning to the Recovery Plan, it is worth mentioning that it will have two dimensions: regional and parametric. Regional is when either partner countries or sister cities or corporations help to rebuild a specific Ukrainian city or region. For example, Denmark agreed to help with restoration of Mykolayiv. Italian Bergamo - with the restoration of Bucha. The parametric approach is a program of the National Council for the Recovery, which engages in the development of the parameters of reconstruction and transformation of each sector of the economy. These are new approaches and new policies. Both modern and European. The goal is not just to rebuild what has been destroyed, but to build a modern civilized European state.

To make the process more systematic and transparent, the Government is launching u24.gov.ua. It is a platform for fundraising in support of Ukraine within the framework of the global project United24, initiated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Everyone in the world can make a donation and help Ukraine fight for our freedom. We want to unite the world around the support for our state - ordinary people, charitable foundations, international companies, opinion leaders around the world.

The creation of a platform is also crucial to demonstrate maximum transparency and openness in the use of funds raised: where and to which purposes they are directed. The National Bank will report daily on fundraising. All ministries will present to the public their reports on what the funds were used for. Deloitte company in Ukraine, which is part of the international Deloitte network, will audit the reporting of ministries and ensure the transparency of operation of the platform.

We envisage that the funds will be distributed in three main areas. The first is defense and demining. The second is humanitarian and medical assistance, as well as assistance to children. The third is the reconstruction of Ukraine. Rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, roads, bridges, schools and hospitals; restoration of electricity, water supplies and communication.

Another decision, which is also directly related to the priority reconstruction, is to simplify the procedure for changing building standards during and after martial law. Emergency work in the houses hit by the shells, construction of temporary housing, construction of fortifications, building of infrastructure for industry relocating from the war-torn territories - all this requires greater efficiency from the state. And less bureaucracy.

In line with the recovery programs, the support of our citizens remains the topmost priority.

From the first weeks of the war, we triggered and are actively implementing a program of free distribution of packages containing food and sanitary and hygienic products for residents of frontline cities. Hundreds of thousands of such packages have already been distributed. We have a decision to endorse today that will allow us to continue funding this program properly. The Government will transfer a total of UAH 7.5 billion to local budgets. These are the funds that will allow us to provide free social products for Ukrainians in the cities and regions with active hostilities.

We allocate another sum worth UAH 500 million for the purchase of medicines, medical purpose goods and equipment. Both programs will allow us to provide millions of our citizens with the necessary products, medicines, and hygiene products. These are important things that we are implementing and will continue to implement.

Thank you for your attention. Let's proceed to the agenda.