President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso.
The Head of State thanked her for the unwavering support for Ukraine and for visiting our country during a difficult period, as the Russians have intensified their attacks.
“We value our bilateral cooperation and our bilateral projects. Thank you for supporting them, and especially now, this is important – at a time of escalation involving drones and missiles. After the Russians started this process on their side, we have been working on different types of air defense and additional drone interceptors,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored.
The meeting focused primarily on preparations for the winter and support for Ukraine’s energy sector. The President noted that a great deal has already been done through the partnership with the EBRD to increase and protect electricity generation. Ukraine counts on this cooperation continuing. According to Odile Renaud-Basso, the main focus is on expanding generation and renewable energy, decentralizing the system, and protecting it.
In addition to energy, they discussed logistics and data centers, which are also constantly under attack as a result of Russia’s escalation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored the importance of partners helping rebuild everything the Russians are trying to destroy.
They also discussed war-risk insurance and additional steps to support Ukrainians and the economy, including opportunities to attract investment to help sustain Ukrainian exports. Because of constant Russian strikes, a significant share of the food supplies relied on by countries across virtually every continent remains in Ukraine. There are specific financial and infrastructure-related measures that the EBRD can help with.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined the de-escalation steps Ukraine had proposed to facilitate the export of agricultural products.
“The increase in the number of attacks and the uncertainty they create, the problems in the Black Sea – all of this could have a somewhat greater economic impact. So, how we can operate in these circumstances and continue to provide support and help businesses live and continue operating is very important,” the EBRD President said.