Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal

Great people of Ukraine!

The 17th day of our liberation war continues.

The Government's main focus today is on a number of areas that are critical to our country.

First. Humanitarian aid and evacuation of people from cities affected by the humanitarian catastrophe.

Today 14 green corridors were planned to open. Unfortunately, not all of them worked. A similar situation was yesterday and the day before. The reason is known - an aggressive and insidious enemy that constantly attacks evacuation vehicles, derails efforts of humanitarian convoys to take people to safe locations, misinforms about the situation.

And although tens of thousands of people have already been taken out of the conflict zones, even more are waiting for our help. And we will continue our attempts day after day to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate people.

We will not give in.

I want to thank those soldiers, rescuers, drivers, priests, doctors, volunteers, ordinary people who work every day in the humanitarian corridors. They are trying to take our people out. All of you are the heroes of this liberation war!

The Humanitarian Headquarters continues to operate within the Government. From March 2 to 12, Ukraine received more than 40,000 tons of humanitarian aid. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Ukrzaliznytsia are currently functioning as logistics headquarters. And according to the data, a third of the aid received has already been delivered to the regions and distributed according to the needs of each region.

Special thanks to those people, those communities that host the evacuated population.

We are grateful not only in words but also in deeds. The Government has adopted a decision to reimburse communal expenses to the budgets of communities that shelter the displaced people on a free basis in communal buildings and premises. Support measures will be further supplemented by our decisions.

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The second direction is to provide our military.

The Government has endorsed a decision to increase the State Budget Reserve Fund by UAH 50.8 billion. Resources have been redirected to the Reserve Fund from all development programs that cannot be implemented in wartime. Such a decision already allows for satisfying the operational needs of the security and defense sector. Yesterday, UAH 12.5 billion were transferred to servicemen to pay additional remuneration during martial law. Also yesterday, by the decision of the Government, UAH 3.9 billion was directed on nutrition for the Armed Forces.

We are also engaged in constant cooperation with our partners around the world. We thank them for their ongoing military assistance. For obvious reasons, I will not specify what kinds of support they provide. But I can admit that day after day our army builds up the technical might.

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The next issue is food security. The Government has either banned or restricted the export of critical food products during martial law. We are talking about wheat, buckwheat, meat, eggs, oil, sugar, etc.

The current balances show that Ukraine is provided with basic foodstuffs for the coming months. But we must also think about the future.

Therefore, the Government is introducing a plan to support the spring sowing campaign, which should start shortly where the situation is secure.

A decision approved by the Cabinet of Ministers today is aimed to ensure the state reimburses for interest on loans to cover any expenses related to agricultural activities. Farmers will also be provided with state guarantees for 80% of the amount of loans they have leveraged.

This will allow our farmers to raise funds for the sowing campaign and have confidence that they will not go bankrupt in case of losing their crops.

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Fourth. Energy security. Currently, there are operating four nuclear power plants, all hydroelectric power plants, ТPPs. We have certain agreements with Poland for the supply of additional consignments of coal by rail. To ensure economy of coal, the Government has endorsed a decision that Ukrainian thermal power plants will receive gas at a discounted price.

Gas reserves are now at about 9.5 billion cubic meters. Gas imports from Hungary, Slovakia and Poland continue. Ukrgazvydobuvannya prolongs producing gas at all facilities, except those directly on the confrontation lines, in places of active hostilities.

Aiming to improve the supply of motor fuel, the Government yesterday submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a bill abolishing the excise tax on fuel and reducing the VAT rate from 20% to 7%. This significant reduction in taxes rates will enable us to stabilize prices and prevent deficits. We are also considering a proposal to reduce VAT to 0% if the logistics costs of fuel suppliers raise.

We are also negotiating with the world's major companies for the supply of gasoline and diesel, we engage in developing new logistics chains for the supply of these products to Ukraine.

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Fifth. Another critical area of work is social protection. The Pension Fund of Ukraine has already directed UAH 38.3 billion to banks and the Ukrposhta offices. This is the total amount of funds needed to pay pensions this month.

The Ministry of Social Policy ensures the payment of all subsidies, allowances and cash social benefits assigned to people. Benefits, aids, subsidies are automatically extended. Special mechanisms for receiving pensions and social assistance for those who were evacuated through a cash transfer mechanism were launched.

An updated ePidtrymka program for employees and individual entrepreneurs has triggered in the Diia. Just to remind, within the framework of this program, every employee or entrepreneur who lost job as a result of war can receive UAH 6,500 each. 2 million Ukrainians have already applied for such assistance. And we have a sufficient amount of money to pay everyone in need.

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Heroic people of Ukraine!

Despite all the endeavors undertaken today by our President, our military, our diplomats, our international partners, none can yet say that the war will end tomorrow.

Therefore, restructuring the economy to fit new realities must become a strong foundation for victory. That's why I urge everyone! Who can work and has a job – do your job. If you have a business in areas not affected by active hostilities - resume operations. You are part of the economic front! And now the state needs you more than ever!

United we will win!

Glory to Ukrainians! Glory to Ukraine!