MEPs on the European Parliament’s Transport Committee met with Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov on Tuesday 17 May to discuss the needs, possible actions and assistance required in the field of transport and logistics as the war continues in his country.
The Ukrainian minister first insisted on the development of transhipment capacities, which were considered “insufficient” and thus blocked important grain exports from Ukraine.
“Rail transport is partial at the moment, capacities are low and not suitable for such quantities of grain”, he commented.
The issue of transhipment, which is crucial for Ukraine, had already been raised on 12 May by the European Commission when it presented its action plan to create ‘solidarity lanes’ (see EUROPE 12951/4).
Mr Kubrakov also stressed the need for investment to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure, as “more than 600 km of roads and railways and 1,200 bridges have been destroyed since the war began”.
On this point, several MEPs, such as José Ramón Bauzá Díaz (Renew Europe, Spain), called, in the wake of the Ukrainian minister’s speech, for the “rapid” creation of a “targeted fund” to help rebuild critical infrastructure and develop connections between the EU and Ukraine.
Mr Kubrakov also called for a rapid start to the process of liberalisation of road transport between the EU and Ukraine. On 6 April the Commission proposed to the EU Council that negotiations should be opened with Ukraine and Moldova to conclude agreements on the transport of goods between the EU and the two countries (see EUROPE 12927/5).
Finally, the Minister’s attention was also drawn to the situation in the aviation sector. Stressing that staff in this sector were at risk of losing their qualifications because they could not fly, the Ukrainian minister called on the EU to find solutions so that the staff of the companies concerned could be relocated within the EU to continue their activities. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)