Prime Minister voiced the main challenges facing the State in his address at the Verkhovna Rada

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 06 September 2024 15:44

Security, energy, finance, European integration, saving and increasing human capital are the challenges facing the State today and are being addressed by the Cabinet of Ministers. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal in his speech during the Question Time for the Government at the Verkhovna Rada on 6 September.

"Ukraine needs more weapons from its partners. Air defence systems, shells, long-range weapons, aircraft. We need the permission of our partners to use their weapons to strike deep into the russian rear," urged Denys Shmyhal, speaking about the security and defence sector.

The Prime Minister said that Ukraine was actively working to build up its defence industry. The country produces drones, artillery, armoured vehicles and shells. There is also progress in the missile programme. Joint ventures with partners are being launched in this area. An important component of security, according to the Head of Government, is information policy, in particular countering russian fakes and disinformation.

"Energy sector. We restore everything that can be restored. We are building decentralised generation. We have launched three types of programmes for citizens and businesses,’ Denys Shmyhal said and thanked MPs for cancelling the duty and VAT on the import of energy equipment.

He also told that Ukraine was negotiating with partners to expand electricity imports from 1.7 to 2.2 GW of installed capacity.

Speaking about the financial component, Denys Shmyhal stressed that the Government was working to attract external and internal resources: "This year we have received USD 24.5 billion in external financing. We have a political decision of the G7 to allocate USD 50 billion from the proceeds of frozen russian assets to Ukraine."

One of the priority tasks facing the state is to preserve and increase human capital. The Prime Minister named three factors that will influence the return of Ukrainians from abroad: security, housing and work. Therefore, the Government is introducing and expanding programmes in the housing and education sectors, construction, lending and business support.

"The eVidnovlennia and eOselia programmes are operating. We stimulate job creation by providing grants for start-ups as well as soft loans. We are implementing the comprehensive policy ‘Made in Ukraine’ initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We are launching a national cashback programme to increase demand for Ukrainian goods. We are opening up opportunities for mastering new professions," said Denys Shmyhal.

European integration is also on the agenda. According to the Head of Government, at this stage of our path to the EU, we need to complete the screening of Ukrainian legislation, formulate the scope of Ukraine's obligations to be fulfilled before accession, and prepare and hold negotiations in clusters.

"We want to adapt to EU requirements as quickly as possible. So that when the time comes, everything will depend solely on the political decision of the member states,’ the Prime Minister emphasised.