Ukraine’s Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko met with Vice President for Policy and Partnerships of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Mark Bowman.
The meeting was also attended by Ukraine’s Deputy Ministers of Finance Olga Zykova and Yuriy Draganchuk. From the EBRD side, participants included Managing Director for Ukraine and Moldova Arvid Turkner, Deputy Director of the EBRD Board of Directors representing Switzerland, Ukraine, Serbia, Uzbekistan, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Turkmenistan Artem Shevalov, as well as other Bank representatives.
On March 24-25, Sergii Marchenko held a series of meetings with international partners who arrived in Kyiv to participate in the Ukrainian Donor Platform.
The parties discussed the status of the EBRD’s investment portfolio in Ukraine, financial needs for restoring critical infrastructure, and progress in implementing key reforms. In particular, discussions focused on the privatization of state-owned banks, the development of the capital market infrastructure, improving corporate governance in state-owned enterprises, and reforming public investment management.
“The EBRD remains one of Ukraine’s key partners in ensuring financial stability and restoring critically important infrastructure. We highly value the Bank’s support and count on further expansion of our partnership, particularly in financing the energy sector and state-owned enterprises,” said Sergii Marchenko.
The total amount of financing the EBRD has directed to Ukraine over the entire period of cooperation amounts to EUR 23.3 billion. Since the full-scale invasion by russia, the Bank has mobilized over EUR 9 billion, significantly supporting the liquidity and resilience of critical infrastructure enterprises.
In 2025, the Bank, together with donors, provided approximately EUR 990 million in financing, including loans backed by state and European Commission guarantees, as well as nearly EUR 220 million in grants from the Government of Norway.
Today, the EBRD plays a key role in strengthening energy security, improving energy efficiency, and supporting the liquidity of state-owned enterprises, including JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia,” NJSC “Naftogaz Ukrainy,” and NEC “Ukrenergo.”
The Ukrainian side and the Bank also focused on financing energy security in 2026-2027, including the purchase of natural gas and the restoration of energy infrastructure in preparation for the next heating season. The Minister thanked the EBRD for its significant contribution to emergency gas purchases and emphasized the importance of further mobilizing financing using European Union guarantees.
The parties also highlighted the need for broader use of European Commission guarantees as a key financing instrument.
Additionally, the financial situation of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” and plans for restructuring the company’s debt obligations were discussed. The Ukrainian side stressed the importance of maintaining stable operations and continuing the implementation of investment projects.
The parties also reviewed progress in preparing for the privatization of state-owned banks and implementing the capital market infrastructure reform, which aims to create an integrated financial system in line with international standards.
In turn, Mark Bowman confirmed the EBRD’s readiness to continue supporting Ukraine, emphasizing that the country remains one of the Bank’s key investment priorities. (Finance Ministry)