Ukraine is actively working to restore air travel from Kyiv and Lviv, as stated by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Rostyslav Shurma, during a panel discussion at the Ukrainian House in Davos on January 18.
"I can say that we are working very intensively on the restoration of air travel in Ukraine... We will definitely do everything possible to make it happen," he said.
Shurma emphasized that reliable logistics and transportation connections, especially air travel, are fundamentally important elements for the country's business and investment activities.
"If investors and businessmen cannot comfortably and quickly reach the places they need, they will not come and do nothing," noted the Deputy Head of the President's Office.
Responding to a question about whether the Ukrainian government is indeed considering the reopening of airports in Kyiv (Boryspil International Airport) and Lviv, he stated that both airports are under consideration, but the "main focus" is on "Boryspil."
Regarding the possibility of resuming air travel in the summer, Shurma stated that he is not ready to provide specific timelines. He mentioned an internal "roadmap" and schedule but refrained from naming specific dates. He emphasized that the success of restoring air travel in Ukraine depends on decisions from international partners, independent regulators, and insurance companies.
"Our team and the military closely cooperate with our Israeli colleagues to study their experience. We are absolutely confident that we will succeed," Shurma stated regarding ensuring the physical security of flights.
He also highlighted the importance of obtaining approval from the European regulator IATA and the search for reliable insurance mechanisms, allowing lessors to provide aircraft without concerns.
"Here, we face the same task: to create the right risk instruments so that airlines can fly to Kyiv, which we plan to open," concluded Shurma.
