In a debate on Tuesday 13 June, MEPs emphasised their support for EU aid to rebuild Ukraine (see EUROPE 13191/8).
“The EU and the international community must stand by Ukraine as it rebuilds”, urged Pedro Marques (S&D, Portuguese). “We need to find the money, and we need to start as soon as possible by creating the legal basis for using the money confiscated from Vladimir Putin”, he said.
Helmut Scholz (The Left, German) explained that it was “already important to turn our attention to the reconstruction of Ukraine. It is a challenge that will cost an amount equivalent to more than twice the size of the Ukrainian economy”. In his opinion, the Russian state must assume its responsibilities, and it is necessary to consider redeeming Ukraine’s debt to international organisations.
We must not forget “that corruption is not going to go away, it’s going to have to be dealt with”, warned Jaak Madison (ID, Estonian), pointing out that it would be necessary to keep track of the funds.
As well as reconstructing buildings, Márton Gyöngyösi (NI, Hungarian) pointed out that “lives will have to be repaired“. “We need to help all these people so that they can build a modern and democratic society” in Ukraine, he added, believing that this was a necessary condition for considering Ukraine’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic community.
For the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, “the reconstruction effort will be long term. Everything needs to be considered, including humanitarian, financial and commercial aid”. In his view, investment in recovery and reconstruction can already begin in many regions.
The financial requirements for 2023 are estimated at around $14 billion, either for the reconstruction of civil and energy infrastructures or for mine clearance for humanitarian purposes. On Tuesday, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced an EU guarantee enabling the EIB to grant €100 million in new loans to Ukraine for rapid recovery, such as for municipal or energy infrastructure repairs.
“We need Ukrainian ownership, a clear vision and sequencing of reconstruction priorities”, said Mr Dombrovskis.
Several MEPs also expressed their support for Ukraine’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. Rasa Juknevičienė (EPP, Lithuanian) felt that it was necessary to consider integrating Ukraine into NATO, adding that the Vilnius summit would lay the foundations for extending this invitation to join the Alliance (see EUROPE 13179/20).
For Petras Auštrevičius, Ukraine must become a full member of the EU and NATO, explaining that becoming a member will not make up for Ukraine’s suffering. “It will be a deserving member”, stressed the Lithuanian MEP for Renew Europe.
The European Commission is expected to present its oral progress report on Ukraine next week. According to Mr Dombrovskis, while the progress made in wartime is “impressive”, “there is still work to be done”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)