The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted two interconnected decisions aimed at systematically preparing for the restoration of civil aviation after the war.
These include approving the Strategy for the Development of Civil Aviation and the Use of Ukraine’s Airspace until 2030 and establishing an Interagency Coordination Centre for Airspace Management and Airport Operations.
Both decisions were developed by the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s airspace remains closed to civil aviation due to russia’s full-scale aggression. Therefore, these decisions do not concern the reopening of flights in the near future. Instead, they are intended to ensure the state is systematically prepared for the moment when reopening becomes possible from a security perspective.
“Today, we are not talking about reopening the airspace. We are talking about responsibly planning for the future. Restoring civil aviation is not a matter of a single decision or a short period of time. Above all, it is about people’s safety, and the security situation will determine when flights can resume. At the same time, we must already be shaping the sector’s future, coordinating the work of all relevant authorities, and preparing the necessary decisions so that we are ready to restore air services when security conditions allow,” said Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba.
The approved Strategy sets out the long-term priorities for the development of civil aviation through to 2030. It has been developed in line with Ukraine’s National Transport Strategy, the country’s European integration course, and the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Implementation will take place in two phases: 2026-2028 and 2029-2030.
Its key priorities include modernising airport and air navigation infrastructure, integrating Ukraine into the European Union single aviation market, developing multimodal transport links, introducing modern aviation safety standards, and gradually restoring passenger and cargo air services once the safe use of Ukrainian airspace becomes possible.
At the same time, the newly established Interagency Coordination Centre will ensure coordination among state authorities, the security and defence sector, the aviation industry and other stakeholders in preparing for the phased restoration of civil aviation.
The Centre’s main responsibilities will include coordinating airspace management, the operation of aerodromes and airports, preparing a step-by-step plan for restoring air services, and developing a new civil aviation security architecture that reflects today’s security challenges.
These decisions form part of Ukraine’s European integration commitments and lay the groundwork for restoring a competitive, safe and European-integrated civil aviation sector after the war. (Government portal)