"It is our duty to the Ukrainians who have paid the ultimate sacrifice that we ensure that their reimagined future becomes reality – brick by brick, house by house, school by school", said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, speaking on 21 June at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, UK.
She said it was our responsibility to help Ukrainians realise their dream of a greener, more modern Ukraine that will be the lasting legacy of the war. She underlined that we could never match their sacrifice, but that 'we can and we do all stand united, coordinated and resolute that Ukraine must win, will win and has our support, not just for as long as it takes to secure peace but for the country they are imagining'.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference, held jointly by the UK and Ukraine, is a continuation of the cycle of annual events with the last one conducted jointly with Switzerland in Lugano. The previous edition of the conference launched the Lugano Principles, which laid the foundation for the reconstruction process of Ukraine and united the world in its efforts.
President von der Leyen referred to the efforts of the Multi-agency donor coordination platform, bringing together Ukraine, the G7, the EU, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the IMF and the World Bank. She said the platform created a single focal point for international donors to guarantee that support goes exactly where Ukraine needs it most. "The European Commission is contributing EUR 18 billion already this year. Together with other donors, we closed Ukraine's budget gap for 2023 so that Ukrainians can continue to pay salaries, pensions and for healthcare", she explained.
