First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Sweden to Ukraine Tobias Thyberg. During the meeting, the parties discussed the financing of economic recovery projects, financing of grant programmes, and humanitarian demining of agricultural land.

“Currently, the state budget is financed by about 50% from taxes paid by Ukrainian businesses and by half from foreign aid. We want to ensure economic growth and a gradual increase in tax revenues from business. To do this, we must gradually move from budget support to support for Ukrainian business,” Yuliia Svyrydenko shared the Government’s plans.

The First Deputy Prime Minister presented grant support programmes for Ukrainian business under the common brand of eRobota. According to her, the programmes for microgrants for starting a business and grants for the development of processing enterprises alone are expected to create about 50,000 new jobs this year.

“We are trying to involve as many countries as possible in the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform to support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine as part of the so-called ‘financial Ramstein’. Alongside the funding of grant programmes, we are looking for support for export-oriented enterprises and war risk insurance for investors,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko.

The First Deputy Prime Minister also invited the Kingdom of Sweden to participate in the humanitarian demining of agricultural land.

In turn, Tobias Thyberg confirmed the readiness of the Swedish Export Credit Agency to consider the possibility of war risk insurance. The Ambassador also said that Sweden would present a new programme of support for Ukraine in June.

For reference

Sweden is one of the top 5 suppliers of critical equipment for the restoration of Ukraine’s energy sector after the russian strikes.

The Swedish side has already sent Ukraine 5,000 units of anti-tank weapons and other military assistance. The possibility of transferring 155 mm self-propelled howitzers is being considered.

The Swedish Government has provided more than EUR 400 million in humanitarian, military and economic support; businesses are sending charitable donations, medicines and equipment. Ordinary Swedes have provided shelter for more than 35,000 Ukrainian refugees.

The Swedish Government supported Ukraine during the energy crisis. It allowed the state-owned company Svenska kraftnät to transfer equipment to Ukraine that was needed to restore the power system after russian shelling. A total of 46 shipments of humanitarian aid for the energy sector have been delivered to Ukraine from Sweden. The Swedish Business Association donated a 4,000-kilowatt boiler house to Kremenchuk.