By BRUSSELS. Nov 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – On Wednesday, November 9, the European Commission will present its proposals regarding the provision of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in 2023 in the total amount of EUR 18 billion. It is projected that Kyiv will receive the first disbursement in January next year.
This was announced on Tuesday in Brussels at the end of the meeting of the European Economic Council at a press conference by Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis.
"In line with the recent EU leaders’ call for the Commission to propose a more structural solution for assisting Ukraine, ministers agreed to move ahead with an assistance package of up to EUR 18 billion of concessional loans for 2023. We should aim for a first disbursement in January. The Commission will present its proposal tomorrow," he said.
The executive vice-president said that the aim of the European Commission is to secure approval from the European Parliament and Council before the end of the year. "It needs to be decided quickly: 2023 is approaching fast and Ukraine’s financing needs are urgent. As regards this year’s financing, we expect the next payment of EUR 2.5 billion [from a package of EUR 9 billion approved in May this year] to reach Kyiv by the end of this month," he added.
Dombrovskis insists that the legislative work on these proposals be completed this year, and the Council for Economic Affairs to make a decision already on December 6.
Regarding the remaining EUR 3 billion (EUR 9 billion of macro-financial assistance), the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission said that the ministers also discussed this issue. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find a solution on how to move forward this year. Therefore, they noted the need for funds from the EUR 18 billion package to be provided already at the beginning of next year, already in January, Dombrovskis added.
