The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal held an online meeting with the World Bank Managing Director of Operations Axel van Trotsenburg. The parties discussed issues of deepening and expanding further cooperation, combating the coronavirus, in particular in the context of expanding Ukraine's access to vaccines, as well as the state of implementation of reforms in Ukraine.

Denys Shmyhal noted The World Bank is a strategic and reliable partner of Ukraine.

"I hope constructive cooperation between Ukraine and the World Bank would be prolonged. We count that together we will be able to work out possible mechanisms to support Ukraine during this difficult period," the Prime Minister of Ukraine stressed.

In addition, the Prime Minister of Ukraine thanked the World Bank for financing projects aimed at counteracting the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in particular for financing the purchase of vaccines. "We welcome the World Bank's new Ukraine Emergency COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Project, which envisages the disbursement of a $ 90 million resource to fight the pandemic," Denys Shmyhal stressed and added that ensuring successful vaccination in Ukraine is one of the most important priorities of the Government and the President of Ukraine.

The Head of Government emphasized that despite the pandemic, Ukraine continues to implement reforms that should be the basis for further economic growth. In particular, significant steps have been taken in the direction of decentralization reform, land reform, work continues in the direction of reforming the anti-corruption infrastructure, judicial reform, as well as the transformation of coal regions.

According to the Prime Minister, improving the investment climate remains one of the Government's top priorities. "The Government of Ukraine has approved about 100 priority investment projects for the period up to 2023 in energy, infrastructure, processing industry, tourism and sports, etc. Our state needs long-term cooperation and investment programs," said Denys Shmyhal.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine also reminded that many examples of successful small and medium-sized privatization had been implemented in Ukraine last year, being an important indicator that it is profitable and safe to invest in Ukraine. According to him, this year it is expected to attract up to UAH 12 billion from the sale of large-scale privatization objects.

Denys Shmyhal also assured that the Government aims at a sustainable recovery with the transition to a green economy and is interested in expanding the horizons of mutually beneficial cooperation with international partners in the energy sector. "Our strategic goal remains to accelerate the work on joining the ENTSO-E European Network, which is scheduled for 2023," said the Prime Minister.

The Head of Government added that Ukraine had chosen the strategy of the European Green Deal: "Under my chairmanship, the work of the interdepartmental working group on coordinating the effects of climate change within the European Commission's European Green Deal initiative has been resumed".

Axel van Trotsenburg announced the readiness of the World Bank team to provide Ukraine with advisory and financial support in the framework of priority Government’s projects.