Zelenskyy asks partners about "financial Ramstein"
"EUROPEAN PRAVDA" — TUESDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2022, 12:09
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has called on Western partners to create a "financial Ramstein" to support Ukraine, by analogy with the format initiated by the United States to set up a Ukraine Defence Contact Group to provide Ukraine with weapons.
As reported by "European Pravda", he said this in his speech at the opening of the International Expert Conference on the Recovery, Reconstruction and Modernisation of Ukraine held in Berlin on 25 October.
Zelenskyy stated that he sees four elements of Ukraine's security: security on the ground, which requires stable defence cooperation; security in the sky, which requires strengthening air defence; financial security, through funds for urgent needs; and institutional capacity, the way Ukraine implements all its programmes, including the reconstruction programme.
"I urge you now to focus not only on the fourth element, "how", but also on the third, "what" is needed to provide our work for the restoration of Ukraine with real funding," Zelenskyy stressed.
He thanked all the countries for the support already provided, but noted that it should have been more systematic.
"We can adopt a decision now on the establishment of a ‘financial Ramstein’ to maintain our common stability, by analogy with the ‘defence Ramstein’. We need a financial coordination platform that will unite and direct all efforts aimed at rebuilding our country after the hostililties. Consolidation is needed - the clear and timely allocation of resources," Zelenskyy said, adding that this should be a continuation of the idea laid down at the Ukraine Recovery Conference held in Lugano [4-5 July 2022 - ed.].
"We have developed a transparent plan for the priority steps in reconstruction. This is what Ukraine literally needs to survive. Not tomorrow, not next year. Our Fast Recovery Plan calls for US$17 billion for immediate critical reconstruction. This covers hospitals, schools, and vital transport and energy infrastructure. We have a great need for housing reconstruction where Russian tanks and artillery have methodically destroyed cities. We have not yet received a single cent for the implementation of the Fast Recovery Plan! I urge you to bring the necessary solutions closer, in order to speed up the process of involving partners in our reconstruction," President Zelenskyy stressed.
He recalled that the concept of the Recovery Fund was proposed as a key institution by the Office of the President, with the condition that 75% of its supervisory board be made up of representatives of donor countries.
Zelenskyy added that he expects decisions from this conference to help Ukraine cover the enormous budget deficit for 2023.
"For Ukraine, this is an unaffordable amount: a deficit of US$38 billion. [The budget covers] significant items such as the salaries of teachers and doctors, social benefits, and pensions. But our association is powerful enough to implement such a task as well. This potential exists in particular thanks to the IMF and other financial institutions. Our dialogue continues, and I believe that it will move from abstract numbers to specifics. A specific amount of funding with specific sources," the President said.
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