PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Executive Vice President of the European Commission discussed the priority areas of cooperation and the security situation around Ukraine

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 31 January 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a meeting with Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis.

The President thanked for the financial support to Ukraine from the European Union, in particular for the new macro-financial assistance program worth 1.2 billion euros. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the decision to allocate this aid was a timely signal for the financial markets, which already helps maintain the stability of the Ukrainian economy.

“Our strategy worked: to talk not about war, but about the economy. Today is the first day when we have not spent a single dollar of our reserves to support the hryvnia exchange rate,” the President stressed.

The parties agreed that the first tranche of macro-financial assistance in the amount of 600 million euros will be paid without additional conditions immediately after the completion of all necessary procedures.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy especially thanked for the funding for Ukraine provided by the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership, which, among other things, will be aimed at supporting small and medium enterprises.

During the discussion of trade relations between Ukraine and the EU, the Head of State raised the issue of starting official negotiations on granting additional trade preferences to Ukraine as soon as possible, which will include updating current tariffs and quotas for Ukrainian exporters.

The importance of ensuring proper progress in concluding an agreement on the so-called industrial visa-free regime, which will open additional markets for domestic industrial producers, was emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Executive Vice President of the European Commission for his personal active position in support of Ukraine in the current difficult conditions.

“Your visit in these difficult times is another sign of the EU’s unquestionable support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the President stressed.