Ukraine relies on increased investment from German businesses and the fact that modern equipment from German manufacturers will help restore Ukrainian infrastructure and modernize the economy after the war. This was stated by Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, in an address at the sixth German-Ukrainian Business Forum in Berlin.

"The Ukrainian economy is gradually moving towards its recovery. I believe that this year's GDP growth will exceed 4%, and next year we expect the economy to grow by 5%. We now have a fairly stable macroeconomic situation, which is an important condition for further economic growth and investment attraction even during the war.

To ensure faster economic growth, we need long-term investments. It is crucial for German businesses to understand that today Ukraine is not only a country in need of financial assistance, but also an economy with good prospects for investors. Already 30 German companies have expressed their willingness to invest in Ukraine. I believe that German equipment can play a special role in the rebuilding of our country," emphasized Yuliia Svyrydenko.

According to her, new equipment is needed to restore civilian industry as well as to produce weapons and ammunition.

"Ukraine will be grateful if German businesses have the opportunity to supply us with the equipment necessary for the production of military weapons, as well as equipment for the processing industry. After all, the Ukrainian Government, given the blocked seaports, has identified processing as a priority sector of economic development," emphasized Yuliia Svyrydenko.

According to her, our country will soon need a significant number of metalworking machines and equipment for the production of construction materials, as well as equipment for the restoration of destroyed enterprises and processing of raw materials. Ukraine is also interested in setting up production to replace imports from russia and belarus. We are talking about glass, paper, metallurgical and chemical products, machinery, etc.

The Ukrainian Government is considering options for developing joint incentive measures that would make German equipment attractive and affordable for Ukrainian industrialists. Such a program could include lending for the purchase of equipment for Ukrainian businesses from the German Euler Hermes ECA or project financing from the German development bank KfW, expanding war risk insurance programs, and providing grants from the German Government to cover part of the cost of equipment for Ukrainian businesses.

"The German Government is already providing investment guarantees for 14 companies operating in Ukraine. We are grateful for the support in this area. I would like to urge my German colleagues to further intensify the provision of credit guarantees and risk insurance to German companies that want to do business in Ukraine," stressed Yuliia Svyrydenko.

The meeting participants also discussed the development of Ukraine's energy sector. Yuliia Svyrydenko noted that the Government of Ukraine was focusing on repairing and restoring the generation networks, creating stocks of power equipment, spare parts and fuel, enhancing the protection of energy facilities from shelling, digitalization and decentralization of the energy sector, and demining of critical energy infrastructure.

She also thanked the German Government for their contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, which had been established to provide financial assistance in restoring the country's critical energy infrastructure damaged by russia's attacks, as well as in ensuring the uninterrupted operation of the energy sector. As well as for the EUR 1.4 billion winter aid package for Ukraine announced by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which is currently being prepared by the German Government.