The transport and infrastructure sectors are among those most affected by the russian war. This is evidenced by the recent World Bank report, which states that almost USD 500 billion is needed to rebuild Ukraine. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal highlighted this in his address at the International Transport Forum on 29 November.

The event gathered representatives of foreign countries, ministers, government officials and heads of diplomatic missions.

"Transport networks remain the backbone of the economy and human mobility. In the short term, we face the following challenges: to quickly restore the transport infrastructure damaged by russian attacks, to further upgrade and expand our logistics capabilities, and to improve conditions for passenger transportation," the Prime Minister said.

According to Denys Shmyhal, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have managed to ensure the stable operation of the Ukrainian Sea Corridor. To date, more than 2,800 vessels have used it, transporting more than 75 million tonnes of cargo (including 50 million tonnes of agricultural products) to over 40 countries.

"This once again confirms that Ukraine remains a cornerstone of global food security, despite regular enemy attacks on our port infrastructure," the Head of Government stressed.

The Prime Minister emphasised that russia's persistent attacks on Ukrainian ports threaten the food security of the entire world, and these threats must be addressed accordingly.

As Denys Shmyhal emphasised, it is extremely important to develop alternative logistics routes. First of all, these are highways and railways.

"The war has significantly increased the load on road crossing points, so it is critical to increase the border's capacity. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, we have opened two new checkpoints with Romania and, with the support of our partners, have begun reconstruction of key checkpoints with Poland, Slovakia and Hungary," the Prime Minister said.

Furthermore, the Government quickly solved the problem of queues of trucks at the border by introducing an innovative tool - the eCherha system. To date, 1.5 million vehicles have crossed the border thanks to this system.

"At the same time, it is crucial to continue developing the border infrastructure for both freight and passenger traffic. In the near future, we plan to approve a strategy that provides for measures to further develop road and railway checkpoints," the Head of Government stressed.

According to the Prime Minister, it was no less important to extend the Agreement on the liberalisation of freight traffic between Ukraine and the EU until June 2025. During the first 18 months of the operation of the Agreement, imports to Ukraine increased by 44% and exports - by 48%: "These figures show that freight liberalisation is beneficial to both sides," summed up Denys Shmyhal.