On February 2, Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko took part in the plenary session during the visit of the College of the European Commissioners.
“The Ukrainian Government is grateful to the European Commission for its strong support for our country, for the EU’s clear position and readiness to continue assistance to Ukraine. This appeal backed by unprecedented 2023 package of Macro-Financial Assistance gave confidence and strength to everyone in Ukraine – the government, business and population. It was vitally important on the eve of this winter – the hardest since World War Two,” he said. “The war has already led to multiple catastrophic consequences in Ukraine that will have long-term effects. And we need sustainable unique solutions to overcome them”.
One of these decisions is to launch a Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine, which is also referred to as Financial Ramstein. The platform is designed for better coordination of economic support for Ukraine’s immediate financing needs and future economic recovery and reconstruction efforts.
It is a basis for open and honest dialogue between Ukraine and donors, clear and effective coordination of joint efforts.
At this stage, the platform unites efforts of the EU, G7 countries, as well as key financial institutions. Understanding the power of the European Commission.
On January 26, the inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee of the platform was held, which brought together high-level officials of the stakeholders. A number of key issues were outlined at the first meeting. In particular:
– The vital importance is to ensure predictable and rhythmic budget support for Ukraine as it still has a $10-billion budget gap. It is a necessity for keeping the country running and resisting the aggressor;
– Priorities, identified by the UA Government that require rapid donor funding, including: restoration of the energy sector, humanitarian demining, restoration of the damaged housing; restoration of critical and social infrastructure, economic support. About $17 billion is needed to implement the priority recovery, while the amount for the most urgent repairs for 2023 is $5.7 billion;
– The need to elaborate appropriate mechanisms, ensuring efficient, accountable and transparent use of donor funding.
“It is important that the conditionalities of the certain donors financing were in line with Ukraine’s reforms agenda. We are glad that these ideas met understanding from all participants of the Platform’s Steering Committee,” Marchenko said. “The Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine should become an example of a new generation of cooperation. Transparent, accountable and inclusive. As the scale of the challenges we are facing today requires completely new approaches. Only our joint efforts can bring closer Ukraine’s victory and minimize the price of the war. The price, the most terrible value of which is actually estimated not in funds or budget deficit, but in human lives”.
“We believe that the financial Ramstein will generate strong solutions and effective vital support,” he added.
Almost a year ago Ukraine’s economy had a solid foundation: debt to GDP was less than 50% and the budget deficit was 3.5%. But then a full-scale war broke out. And Ukraine found itself in a new reality with completely different financial needs.
The damage done by russian aggression to the economy of Ukraine resulted in its contraction by 30.3% in 2022 due to the military occupation, massive destruction and severe humanitarian crisis. Inflation jumped to 26.6% – however it looked still manageable compared with some other countries without the war.
Such developments, obviously, severely affected public finances because of the sharp revenue decline and increase of war-related, humanitarian and social expenditures.
Ukraine’s budget deficit this year amounts to $38 billion.
Prompt and coordinated decisions of the European Commission and other key EU institutions were undoubtedly crucial for maintaining the economic and financial situation in Ukraine at an acceptable level.
“In this context, we are grateful to the EU Side for the launch of the ninth EU MFA program for a record amount of EUR 18 billion and disbursement of the first installment of up to EUR 3 billion already in January,” Marchenko noted.
Due to the difficulties caused by the war in the replenishment of the State Budget revenues, it is extremely important for Ukraine to receive concessional financing under MFA on a regular and systematic basis.
The Government of Ukraine reiterates the determination to ensure proper and full implementation of the conditions agreed by the parties for obtaining the financing, and also to implement structural reforms, which in turn will become a key element in the recovery of Ukraine and its economy after the end of the war.
“We have already performed part of the conditions agreed for the first quarter, in particular Tax, Corporate Governance, Banking and Anticorruption spheres,” he said.
EU MFA package of EUR 18 billion and $9.9 billion of grant support from the U.S. are great achievements of the partners and strong support to Ukraine, but it still leaves Ukraine about $10 billion short.
“We hope that successful implementation of the Monitoring Program will pave the way to a fully-fledged program with the IMF, with the respective financing from the second quarter of 2023. It will help us to close the remaining gap. Strong external support continues to be vital for Ukraine, and ensuring of the stable implementation of the budget is a key prerequisite for keeping the country running and resisting the aggressor,” Marchenko said. (Government portal/Business World Magazine)
