Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine

I greet you, dear colleagues, dear Ukrainians.

These days, 77 years ago, World War II ended in Europe. The most gruesome war in human history. The war when the Europeans said: "Never Again".

But 77 years later, we are facing another great war in Europe waged by russia. And while fighting in this war for our freedom, Ukrainians are not alone. We have formed a coalition that will help us win. We have united the whole civilized world around us.

Yesterday, the President of the United States signed a Lend-Lease Act, which will enable fast-tracking and stepping up military aid to Ukraine. The United Kingdom has also announced an additional $1.6 billion military aid and support package.

Also this week, both the United States and the United Kingdom have approved another package of sanctions against the aggressor. We expect that in the near future the European Union will also introduce the 6th package of sanctions containing effective instruments against the energy sector of the russian federation.

We also have to share important and positive news on international trade issue. The European Union and the United Kingdom have already taken a decision to abolish customs duties and tariffs on Ukrainian goods. Now Canada has joined this decision. In addition, the United States has suspended the 25 percent tariffs on Ukrainian steel, one of our main exports to the United States.

I express gratitude to our partners for such decisions aimed to bailout Ukraine and the Ukrainian economy.

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Yesterday, on Europe Day, a good friend of Ukraine, President of the European Council Charles Michel, visited Odesa. We talked about the blockade of Ukrainian ports by russia, as well as the importance of unblocking our exports. Ukraine is one of the guarantors of global food security. And the fact that russia is blocking the export of Ukrainian products could lead to a global food crisis.

Now Ukraine has already accumulated strategic food stocks, which will be sufficient for our country for years. But more and more world leaders start to realize that without Ukrainian products, some parts of the world may face a real famine. That's why it is vital to act.

Thanks to the coordinated work of farmers and the state, we manage to be quite successful in this most challenging sowing campaign in the history of Ukraine. As of May 9, 8.6 million hectares have been sown with various crops, which is only 24% less than last year. Farmers received more than UAH 20 billion in soft loans under various Government programs. We helped with seeds, fuel, fertilizers. All this is to ensure that the industry has never stopped and continues to work to restore the Ukrainian economy.

In March, many said that the sowing campaign would be one of the biggest challenges for the state on the economic front. Summing up the interim results, we can admit that we have coped with this task all together. Grateful to everyone involved in this area of activities.

Meanwhile, everyone should understand that under current develpments, sowing crops is half the battle. It also needs to be harvested and exported. The work on expanding our exports is ongoing, on a daily basis. We are negotiating with other countries stepping up our export opportunities via their ports. We engage in activities to increase the capacity of our western border and improve railway and automobile logistics. Together with all international partners and organizations, we are looking for ways to unlock our maritime trade.

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Moreover, we focus in talks with all our partners on the comprehensive Ukraine Recovery Plan. The National Council and its working groups have embarked on work. We anticipate that one of the main sources of filling the Fund will be confiscated russian assets and funds. Both the President and the Government reiterated for several times that russia must pay for what it has destroyed in Ukraine. Today we have on our agenda a document stipulating that russian assets on Ukraine’s territory are transferred to the state, namely the State Enterprise “National Investment Fund of Ukraine”. We will take away everything that russia owns in our country, and we will direct these resources to strengthen our army, support the people and rebuild our country.

Today we also have a very important decision aimed at supporting all Ukrainians in this difficult time. The Government will submit to the Verkhovna Rada bills that provide for a moratorium on tariff increases for the period of martial law and 6 months after its termination. Tariffs for gas and its distribution, as well as for heat and hot water will remain in place. In such difficult circumstances, any increase in tariffs is definitely not timely. These laws will also determine compensation mechanisms allowing to maintain the proper level of critical infrastructure and its rehabilitation.

Finally, a few words about one of the most pressing issues today - fuel shortages. Everyone understands that there are objective reasons for this situation - russia is deliberately destroying reserves and processing facilities in Ukraine. Therefore, the team of the Ministry of Economy works 24/7 to overcome the deficit for all consumers. We are working to simplify the import of fuel to Ukraine at the maximum, we are working to extend the geography of obtaining such fuel. In particular, we are talking about the import of fuel from the Persian Gulf countries, Azerbaijan and the Middle East. Today, by the decision of the Government, we agree on the regulations necessary for this. We are working to ensure that there is enough fuel and that the price remains relevant under current realities.

Thank you for your attention. We continue to work for our victory. We believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine!