G. Skaistė: Lithuania donates EUR 5 million for reconstruction of schools and kindergartens in Ukraine
Minister of Finance Gintarė Skaistė during her visit in Kyiv on 7 March stressed that the defending country needed faster supply of military and financial support. The Minister had a meeting with Minister of Finance of Ukraine Serhiy Marchenko and President of the National Bank of Ukraine Andriy Pyshnyy, where discussed the economic and public finance situation in the country, also the preparation for the implementation of reforms in line with the commitments to the European Union (ES) and to international financial institutions. The visit also focused on the reconstruction of Ukraine and Lithuania’s investments in the country.
“Each day the Ukrainians keep defending their country and not surrendering to the aggressor. Therefore, we also, together with the EU and Western partners, cannot delay with military and financial support to Ukraine. A rapid disbursement of the EU support funds is becoming vital as the US decisions stall – the first EUR 4.5 billion from the Ukraine Facility should reach Ukraine in March. Also, Lithuania informed this week its intention to adjoin the Czech initiative in the joint purchase of ammunition for soldiers, and during this visit we notified about the EUR 5 million support for restoration and adaptation of destroyed schools and kindergartens in Ukraine by fitting the shelters therein. During the visit to Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded several times – it is obvious that in order to ensure on-going training despite the raids, we must invest in multifunctional safe buildings and to prevent the enemy from taking away the future of Ukraine’s children”, stressed Minister of Finance Gintarė Skaistė.
During the meetings the focus was made on rehabilitation and reconstruction of Ukraine. According to the World Bank’s estimations, the damage caused to Ukraine reaches EUR 486 billion, and EUR 15 billion is necessary for essential reconstruction costs in 2024. The support for rehabilitation and reconstruction is mobilised by the EU, Western partners as well as financial international institutions. The ways of using the frozen assets of the russian central bank for Ukraine’s needs were also discussed during the meetings.
During the visit Ms G. Skaistė visited the kindergarten in Irpin reconstructed from Lithuania’s support, which has shelters installed according to safety requirements. This is just one of many projects implemented by Lithuania in Ukraine from its own and international donors’ funds.
Lithuania’s support to Ukraine granted from the beginning of the war reaches 2 per cent of the country’s GDP. The Ministry of Finance actively supports Ukraine through instruments of the European Union and international financial institutions – to date, it donated or committed to donate in form of grants almost EUR 70 million. Moreover, EUR 20 million has been already transferred to Ukraine bilaterally from the beginning of the war.
Last updated: 15-03-2024
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