Ukraine Facility approved
A document came into force on 1 March 2024 introducing a new support mechanism, the Ukraine Facility, worth EUR 50 billion over a period of four years. The day before, on 28 February, it was adopted by the Council of the EU.
The EU in 2023 report: Standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and achieving goals
In this period of heightened geopolitical tension, the EU continues to address the issues that matter most to Europeans in 2023, while staying on track to achieve its political priorities. Continued unwavering support for Ukraine is at the heart of this. The EU has provided Ukraine with over EUR 88 billion in financial, humanitarian and military assistance, and protected over 4 million people. It is ready to start accession negotiations.
European Peace Facility: EU approves allocation of EUR 5 billion to provide military support to Ukraine
On 13 March, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union Member States (COREPER) agreed to allocate EUR 5 billion to provide military support to Ukraine. The funds will be allocated to the Ukraine Assistance Fund within the European Peace Facility. “The message is clear: we will support Ukraine with everything it needs to win,” stated Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
UKRAINE-EU:
ACCESSION ALGORITHM
The European Commission officially presented proposals for draft negotiating frameworks for Ukraine
On 11 March, Ukraine announced that it had fulfilled all the recommendations of the European Commission for the provision of a negotiating framework for EU membership. On 12 March, the European Commission submitted proposals for a draft of this document to the Council of the European Union, in accordance with the decision of the European Council (adopted in December 2023) to open negotiations with Ukraine.
Corruption: To combat and take preventative measures
On 11 March, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová participated in an expert discussion on ‘Unveiling Ukraine’s Anticorruption Journey: Progress Towards EU Membership’ in Kyiv.
Having highlighted Ukraine’s progress in its anti corruption efforts, EU Ambassador Mathernova stressed the importance of systemic work by law enforcement and anti corruption agencies to combat corruption.
SECURITY SUPPORT
First ever European Defence Industrial Strategy unveiled
The European Commission presented the first ever European Defence Industrial Strategy, which envisages active cooperation with Ukraine. “We want to invest more, we should invest better, which largely means investing together and investing European,” stated Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager.
European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica: Russia must answer for deportation of Ukrainian children
The EU is working to hold those responsible for the illegal deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children accountable. Currently, 17 EU Member States have opened investigations into international crimes committed in Ukraine, and the EU is strengthening cooperation through Eurojust. In addition, six EU Member States and Ukraine are members of the Joint Investigative Team, with the participation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Europol.
ECONOMY, FINANCE, BUSINESS
EIB-backed Ukraine Recovery Programme kicks off as critical infrastructure projects get underway
More than 100 cities and communities in Ukraine will have municipal infrastructure rebuilt under two European Investment Bank (EIB) recovery programmes. The Ukrainian government allocated EUR 161 million to local budgets for this purpose.
Digital interaction is deepening
The European Parliament has voted in favour of creating a legislative framework for digital identification in the European Union. This serves as the basis for the acceleration of the implementation of the European Digital Wallet (EUDI). Once the digital wallet is introduced, Ukrainians will be able to use Diia in Europe, and Europeans will be able to use theirs in Ukraine.
EU supports female entrepreneurs
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war, the Support Group for Ukraine at the European Commission, together with the EU Delegation to Ukraine and EU projects in Ukraine, have reoriented their activities to prevent a humanitarian crisis and mitigate economic downturn, including by strengthening support for female entrepreneurs, CSOs and vulnerable groups.
EU for Ukrainian SMEs: Together We Are Resilient!
The EU Delegation to Ukraine organised a networking event in Kyiv called ‘EU for Ukrainian SMEs: Together We Are Resilient!’ The final event of the ‘Together We Are Resilient. Together We Are Europe’ communication campaign, which informed Ukrainians about the support provided by the European Union to small and medium sized enterprises during the war, gathered representatives of EU projects, business organisations, entrepreneurs, and experts.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
Education for children
Within the framework of the ‘EU4UASchools: Build Back Better’ project, implemented by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, Velykozholudskyi Lyceum in Rivne Oblast and Korosten City Lyceum No. 7 in Zhytomyr Oblast have been renovated. The project is facilitating light repairs of 66 schools and re equipping 111 educational facilities in 11 oblasts of Ukraine.
Operators of remotely controlled devices will be trained at vocational schools in seven regions
Vocational schools in Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts will provide training for a new popular profession – ‘Operator of Remotely Controlled Devices’. The schools have already received 28 drones for practical exercises, and teachers have passed theoretical and practical training.