Although the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is still ongoing, eyes are already turning towards Ukraine's reconstruction. Many parts of the country are severely damaged and, especially with winter approaching, the construction of emergency shelters and the securing of critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly important. International experts discussed the modalities and financing of Ukraine's reconstruction at a conference in Berlin on 25 October.
The conference sent some important signals: First, there was agreement that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is also about the symbolic defence of liberal values. Secondly, even if the war is not yet over, the reconstruction of Ukraine must begin as soon as possible. The EU's pledge to provide 1.5 billion EUR a month to cover a large part of the country's financial needs for 2023 is a clear sign of European commitment. However, further financial assistance is needed to repair the recently destroyed energy infrastructure and to set up emergency shelters for the winter. Third, the EU accession perspective is a key element for Ukraine's reconstruction. Once the most urgent steps of reconstruction have been taken, this must be done in close accordance with the EU accession process.
Jean-Eric de Zagon, Head of the European Investment Bank Representation in Ukraine, Gerlind Heckmann, Head of Subdivision at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Nataliia Shapoval from the Kyiv School of Economics discussed these and other topics at the IEP Digital Lunch Debate "Investing in Ukraine's recovery: The next steps after the international donors' conference in Berlin".
The IEP organised the event, which was moderated by Dr Funda Tekin, one of the two directors of the IEP, in close cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The recording of the event is now available here.
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