Statement by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at Government session

Dear colleagues, fellow Ukrainians!

We are starting a regular meeting of the Government.

Every day Ukraine confirms its historic European choice. We are fighting for our freedom and for the freedom of Europe.

We strive to protect and guarantee a secure future for our common European home.

We have moved as quickly as possible from applying for EU membership to the opening of pre-accession negotiations. We will continue to move as actively as possible.

Within the framework of sectoral integration, the so-called “visa-free regimes” with the EU are key: trade, transport, energy, customs, and digital. We are striving to consolidate these achievements on a permanent basis and are also working on obtaining an “industrial visa-free regime”.

Today, we are making an important decision that is part of the roaming visa-free regime with the European Union. This will strengthen the connection of Ukrainians abroad with their homeland, with their families and friends. This will contribute to the unity and consolidation of the Ukrainian people.

I am grateful to the European Commission and personally to President Ursula von der Leyen for clear signals that Ukraine’s access to the EU single market will be part of the security solutions for the near future.

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In our domestic policy, one of the key focuses of our work remains helping those who really need it. In particular, we are working to support internally displaced persons.

Our goal is to help IDPs settle in new communities and meet all their basic needs.

The first priority is housing for our people. An entire ecosystem of government programmes is already in place.

1,500 IDP families have received compensation for their lost housing through housing certificates under the eVidnovlennia programme.

The option of buying a home under the eOselia programme through the eVidnovlennia certificate has also been launched. The first Ukrainians have already become property owners under this mechanism.

The Government also provides rent subsidies for IDPs. Payments under this programme are already underway.

Subsistence payments for IDPs remain in place. About 1.2 million people are receiving them, and the Government has transferred more than UAH 5.3 billion to them since the beginning of the year.

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Another focus of our work is humanitarian demining.

139,000 square kilometres (or 23%) of Ukraine’s territory remains potentially mined.

Clearing Ukraine of mine debris as soon as possible is a strategic goal. We have 84 certified operators working on this. 225 demining machines are involved, some of the equipment is made in Ukraine. We will continue to increase this potential.

The state has already compensated more than UAH 529 million to farmers who used private operators for mine clearance.

Work on this programme is continuing, and we have received almost 360 applications from farmers. The state budget for the current year has allocated UAH 3 billion for this purpose.

I am grateful to our partners in the demining coalition. First of all, these are the United States, Switzerland, the EU, Japan, Norway, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and Sweden. In total, about fifty countries.

Together, we will return the land to cultivation and guarantee people’s safety.

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Our focus remains on the reconstruction of medical infrastructure.

According to the latest World Bank estimate, the reconstruction needs in this sphere over the next 10 years amount to USD 19.4 billion.

We are rapidly rebuilding hospitals and outpatient clinics, as well as modernising medical facilities.

Today, the Government has issued a decree to reallocate about UAH 6.3 million to rebuild Okhmatdyt. This means urgent emergency and conservation work in two hospital buildings.

In general, the restoration of Okhmatdyt is a government priority for this year, and we will work consistently on it.

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I thank the Ukrainian defenders for their resilience and heroism in defending the country.

I am grateful to everyone who keeps our home front strong and makes Ukraine stronger.

Together we will stand and achieve a just peace!

Thank you for your attention! Glory to Ukraine!