Oleksii Kuleba met with Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms

Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration/ Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba met in Brussels with Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms. The parties discussed ways to move from screening and benchmarking to the actual implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy in Ukraine, particularly in wartime.

Oleksii Kuleba emphasized that the security component of the Cohesion Policy is a particular focus.

“Ukraine must be part of the European Union’s strategy to support its border regions. Today, up to 50% of public resources in regional policy are directed specifically to such territories. The Government has already developed three packages of systemic support for frontline communities. In total, over 50 government decisions have been adopted, 39 support instruments - introduced, and over UAH 80 billion - allocated,” Oleksii Kuleba emphasized.

Separately, the parties talked about Ukraine's participation in EastInvest, the expansion of Interreg programs, support for the EU’s eastern border regions, and the need for a special economic regime for frontline territories. This is not just about recovery, but also about a new model for community development that will operate with European funds in the coming years.