Distinguished colleagues, fellow Ukrainians!

We are starting a regular session of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Concluding the year 2023, we set ourselves a clear target to fulfil all state obligations to our citizens.

Over 11 months, our expenditures totalled UAH 2.6 trillion, half of which was spent on defence. This is the most fundamental thing today. And it will be our priority in the future.

The second priority is social security. More than UAH 473 billion, or 18% of all expenditures, was directed to pensions and assistance to our people who need it most. We are funding these directions in full.

Our focus remains on the capacity of communities. As of mid-December, the state has provided over UAH 178 billion in transfers to local budgets.

In particular:

UAH 27 billion in basic subsidies,

UAH 24 billion in assistance to hromadas affected by the aggression,

UAH 87.3 billion as an educational subvention,

UAH 1 billion for the purchase of school buses,

UAH 3 billion for the maintenance of hospitals and much more.

The Government has also allocated almost UAH 10.6 billion in subventions to local budgets to implement projects in the social, and housing and utilities sectors. We are talking about repairs and reconstruction of schools, hospitals, residential buildings, and water supply systems.

It is important that local managers demonstrate high efficiency in the management of these resources.

Overall, in the first 11 months of this year, local budget revenues, excluding transfers, increased by 15% compared to 2022.

Account balances have increased by almost 58% since the beginning of the year and amount to about UAH 182 billion. The financial framework of communities remains solid.

Today, we are to adopt a resolution on additional assistance to the de-occupied communities and communities that suffered from the war.

We improve the mechanism of compensation for the reverse subsidy to local budgets for October-December and compensation for the shortfall in personal income tax revenues.

The funds received will be spent by local governments on salaries for state employees and utility bills.

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We continue to focus on local security issues.

First and foremost, all schools and kindergartens should have secure shelters.

The Government has already allocated UAH 1.5 billion for this purpose. According to the RMAs, more than 80% of educational institutions have appropriate shelters.

"Next year, we will allocate another UAH 2.5 billion in subventions to create safe conditions for our children.

We are to adopt a resolution that clarifies the requirements for the construction of civil defence facilities.

These are the standards of walking distance, clear recording of shelters by the state, communities and enterprises, accumulation of data in the Information System, which is the responsibility of the SES and is integrated with other state registers.

All information on the shelters will be available through Diia in the form of an interactive map. Every Ukrainian will have an opportunity to assess the condition of the shelter, file a complaint or submit a proposal.

A similar system is already in place for the Invincibility Points.

So far, more than 12,500 of them have been deployed, and almost 760 more will be launched if necessary. This is 10% more than originally planned.

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The formula for Ukraine's victory is our resilience plus the maximum weakening of the enemy.

We are grateful to our international partners for their support on this path.

In particular, today we will hold a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Multi-Agency Donor Coordination Platform.

We look forward to decisions that will help mobilise financial resources for 2024 and make their flow rhythmic and smooth.

We also count on further strengthening of sanctions that will deprive russia of resources to finance the war.

Yesterday, the EU approved the 12th sanctions package against russia. It includes more effective control over the oil price ceiling, a phased ban on imports of russian diamonds and liquefied propane, restrictions on the re-export of technologies used by the russian military-industrial complex, an expanded list of banned goods and much more.

In total, over the past month, more than 20 countries and international organisations have introduced various restrictive measures that will hamper the kremlin's potential to continue the war.

In particular, the United States banned imports of russian uranium and imposed sanctions on companies that helped russia circumvent restrictions.

Canada activated personal sanctions against individuals involved in pseudo-elections in the occupied Ukrainian territories.

The United Kingdom added 20 russian banks to the sanctions list and announced the establishment of a special unit to strengthen the fight against companies that evade sanctions.

Japan imposed sanctions on 135 russian and russia-linked companies and individuals.

Switzerland froze USD 8.8 billion of russian financial assets, and the European Commission came close to a decision on the use of frozen russian assets to benefit Ukraine.

We are grateful for all these efforts! But we must move on.

Today, Ukraine is at the forefront of the fight for the values of law, justice and democracy.

We believe that our allies understand this and will keep helping us.

We, in turn, are reinforcing Ukraine at the front and in the rear, making the victory closer, the economy more resilient, and the reconstruction faster and more efficient.

Thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!