The Vice Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba, together with First Deputy Aliona Shkrum, met with the Minister for Foreign Trade and French Citizens Abroad – Commissioner of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Laurent Saint-Martin.
The focus of the conversation was Ukraine’s priorities for 2025, including support for communities in frontline areas, the development of transport infrastructure, and projects for the construction of water supply and treatment facilities.
“I am pleased to welcome our French colleagues to Ukraine. We have been working steadily with France since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Our partner country makes a significant contribution to supporting affected Ukrainian regions and communities. We continue to expand this presence. The Île-de-France region is already actively helping the Kyiv region. France will also contribute to the reconstruction of the Chernihiv region. The memorandum signed in 2024 will facilitate the recovery of the region and its long-term transformation according to an updated strategy. I am aware that the regions of Occitanie, Hauts-de-France, and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté are also ready for partnership. The Ministry is prepared to facilitate this process. Other important areas of cooperation with France include railway support and improving water supply in regions affected by the war. We appreciate the support of critical initiatives in these areas,” said Oleksii Kuleba.
Regarding the implementation of the rail supply project for Ukrzaliznytsia, Kuleba emphasized that the project is planned to expand in 2025. At the beginning of this year, rails were already delivered, allowing for the repair of nearly 150 kilometers of track.
The Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction also stressed that the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development is actively involved in utilizing the Critical Infrastructure Support Fund. This grant agreement between Ukraine and France aims to aid in the recovery and support of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and priority economic sectors. The total budget of the fund is 200 million euros.
At the end of 2024, project preparations were conducted, and the selection process was carried out by the Strategic Investment Council following the updated public investment management system requirements. The projects were submitted through the DREAM system, ensuring transparency. Priority was given to projects in the most affected regions, and their implementation is expected in 2025.
Additionally, the continuation of the water supply improvement project in war-affected regions is anticipated.
“We are grateful to France for accepting our proposal, together with Ukraine and UNICEF, to create a working group that will develop solutions for water supply and treatment facilities nationwide, particularly in frontline regions. Due to Russian attacks on our infrastructure, Ukraine, unfortunately, has some of the poorest water quality in Europe. We need effective, targeted solutions to this problem. Our French colleagues have already expressed their readiness to provide experts and financing for water supply restoration. Together, we will develop mechanisms and seek investments to implement improvements in this sector,” commented Aliona Shkrum.
As part of the visit, Laurent Saint-Martin, together with Aliona Shkrum, inspected the aftermath of recent Russian attacks on central Kyiv.
