• Українською
  • Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government session
    Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 11 April 2025 14:35

    Distinguished colleagues, fellow Ukrainians.

    We commence our regular Government session.

    This week, the Government team was working in Brussels.

    We held the 10th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council.

    We had deep and pragmatic conversations with the leadership of the European Union. Ukraine remains a key issue on the foreign policy agenda of our European allies.

    Similarly, for us, cooperation with the European Union is a top priority.

    This year we have an ambitious plan to negotiate our membership in the EU. We want to open all six negotiation clusters in parallel, meaning that we plan to negotiate all chapters at once.

    Ukraine will make its way to full EU membership as fast as possible. We are doing our ‘homework’, implementing all recommendations, benchmarks, reforms and changes.

    We have 81% fulfilment of the Association Agreement in terms of our commitments.

    We are integrating into the European Single Market.

    During this visit to Brussels, we signed five agreements with our European partners.

    Three of them are with the European Investment Bank, that will provide an additional EUR 300 million for the restoration of energy and critical infrastructure.

    Two more agreements relate to joint procurement of medicines and vaccines, as well as Ukraine's accession to the Copernicus programme, contributing to the development of our space industry.

    Ukraine has also received EUR 1 billion from frozen russian assets. This is the third such tranche from the European Union. In total, since the beginning of the year, we have received EUR 5 billion from Europe in proceeds from russian assets.

    This is how russian money works for Ukraine's defence, security and stability.

    We are also talking to all our partners about the need to create a clear legal framework for the full confiscation of russian frozen assets this year.

    We have also managed to agree with the EU on the extension of the ‘transport visa-free regime’. It will work until the end of 2025.

    In the coming weeks, we will intensify the dialogue with our European allies on trade visa-free regime. We want to amend the Association Agreement to allow Ukrainian products to further enter the European market without significant restrictions.

    The key issue on our common agenda is the rearmament of Europe, the production and purchase of weapons for Ukraine.

    We have discussed with European leaders an additional purchase of 2 million shells for our Security and Defence Forces.

    With the support of a united Europe, we are building a new defence industry that can protect not only Ukraine but also European countries. Production in Ukraine is a key component of this programme. This means our self-sufficiency, defence capability, economic security and strength.

    We continue to develop the grant programme for businesses building new production facilities.

    Ukrainian manufacturers of weapons components can now receive a grant of up to UAH 8 million to set up and expand their production. A 50-50 co-financing mechanism will be in place. If the state provides UAH 8 million in grants, the entrepreneur must also invest UAH 8 million. The conditions for drone component manufacturers are even better: the state provides 70% and only 30% must be invested by the manufacturer.

    All this is part of the Made to Win programme, for which UAH 1 billion is envisaged in the budget.

    ***

    Today's agenda also includes several decisions aimed at supporting citizens and communities.

    We are adopting a resolution under which the supply of natural gas under the PSO regime for district heating companies will be extended until 31 October this year. This means that the preferential gas prices for heat producers for the needs of the population and budgetary institutions will be preserved.

    In late March, the Government also extended preferential gas prices for households. Accordingly, tariffs for heat, hot water and gas will remain unchanged.

    Subsidies for the off-heating season will be re-appointed automatically to the vast majority of those who are currently receiving them.

    At the same time, we continue to support our communities.

    We will distribute UAH 1.5 billion extra subsidies to those communities and regions that need it most.

    We are allocating more than UAH 500 million to Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Kherson regions to pay for utilities in medical facilities.

    We are also allocating almost UAH 1 billion to those communities with lower revenues from personal income tax, as well as from land fees and the single tax.

    This way, people in these communities will further receive all the services they need.

    We continue to support Ukrainian entrepreneurs, Ukrainian communities and our people.

    We are grateful to all those who are defending Ukraine at the frontline.

    We are grateful to everyone who works for a strong Ukraine.

    Thank you for your attention.

    Glory to Ukraine!

    Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government session Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government session Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government session Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government session Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government session