The Swiss Confederation has decided to double financial assistance to Ukraine in 2015-2018 issued in the form of grants for projects in the field of efficient energy use, infrastructure development and humanitarian aid to about $100 million, in particular provide funds for projects to improve drinking water quality in Donbas.

Such data were voiced by Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine Christian Schoenenberger in Kyiv, when signing a memorandum of understanding on technical and financial assistance for energy efficiency projects in Zhytomyr between the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Ukraine's Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Services, Zhytomyr City Council, and municipal enterprise Zhytomyrteplokomunenergo.

"Switzerland decided to double its technical aid in 2015-2018, the budget will be about $100 million," he said.

At the same time, Schoenenberger noted that the matter concerns cooperation with Ukraine in implementing joint projects in such priority areas for Switzerland as stable energy use and urban development, as well as local self-governance, construction, health care, and resolving issued in the humanitarian area.

"We've just met with Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko and discussed cooperation between Switzerland and Ukraine on humanitarian issues and one of them, which will be addressed in the near future, is water quality improvement in Donbas," the Swiss official said.

Zubko, in turn, said that after the recent talks with Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Ukraine Guido Beltrani, Switzerland could provide the east of Ukraine with humanitarian aid for a total of $3 million.