‘Two Russian civilians killed in Ukrainian shelling’ • Russia fails to block Ukrainian supply routes to Bashmut

More attention should be paid to what foreign private investors could do for Ukraine. “We have to recognize that there is capital there, that high-level people are there,” said Minister Sigrid Kaag (Finance). “Ukraine is looking for foreign private investors who can help the country’s rapid recovery in unoccupied areas.”

The D66 minister said this after a meeting of EU finance ministers in Stockholm. In the presence of their Ukrainian counterpart Sergii Marchenko, they discussed the reconstruction of the country ravaged by the Russian invasion.

Billions are needed, for example, to repair the transport and energy infrastructure destroyed by the Russians and the houses and buildings destroyed by the bombs, or to demine. International financial support is not enough.

“Ukraine needs a lot of private money,” said European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis. “It is therefore important to make the country more attractive as an investment destination. We are working on ways to enable EU companies to support Ukraine’s reconstruction with export credits and investment insurance.

Ministers reiterated their commitment that the EU will continue to support Ukraine at all costs. “All it takes,” says Kaag. (AP)