Decision to open EIB representative office in Kyiv is important signal for Ukrainian business - Zelenskyy at meeting with bank’s management
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting in Kyiv on Monday with President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Werner Hoyer and Vice-President of the EIB Teresa Czerwinska.
“I met with the president and vice-president of the European Investment Bank. I thanked them for the visit to Ukraine and the decision to open a regional office of the EIB in Kyiv,” the president wrote on Telegram.
First of all, according to Zelenskyy, “this is an important signal for our people that you believe in Ukraine, in the development of our state. This is also of great importance for Ukrainian business.”
He also thanked the bank’s management for the funds previously sent to Ukraine to cover priority needs.
In turn, the President of the European Investment Bank said that it was an honor for him to come to Ukraine on a visit. He also noted the progress in the development of Kyiv during the war.
According to the presidential press service, during the meeting special attention was paid to the issue of accelerating the implementation of existing investment projects, in particular locally and in the regions.
“We would like priority to be given, first of all, to infrastructure projects for the restoration of our state. So that this work would have a greater effect,” said the president of Ukraine.
In turn, Werner Hoyer noted that the visit of the EIB delegation to Ukraine is evidence of unwavering support, especially in the face of Russian aggression.
“From the very beginning of the Russian invasion, we have worked with the Ukrainian authorities to facilitate reconstruction projects, supporting the country's remarkable resilience. With the opening of our EIB regional office for Eastern Europe in Kyiv, we want to underline our strengthened commitment to accompany Ukraine on its European journey. Ukraine is an integral part of the European family, and the EIB is a key part of the EU's long-term support," he said.
According to Werner Hoyer, the European Investment Bank continues close cooperation with Ukraine, which provides for a series of new initiatives to restore infrastructure and support the economy of the Ukrainian state. These initiatives include two loan agreements totaling EUR450 million, which were recently approved by the EIB Board of Governors. The initiatives will be financed through the EU for Ukraine fund.
As reported, on November 27, the EIB management announced the opening of its representative office in Kyiv. The purpose of its work will be enhanced support for Eastern Europe and, in particular, Ukraine. The bank also announced new recovery initiatives through the EU for Ukraine fund.