Austrian businesses seek to make major contribution to Ukraine recovery - Foreign Minister

Austria will provide an additional EUR 2 million to the Grain from Ukraine initiative and seeks to contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction effort, intending to deploy a business delegation to Kyiv late March to this end.

This was stated by Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger, who spoke at a joint briefing in Kyiv with her Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I'm very happy that I can announce an additional contribution for the Grain from Ukraine initiative that is so important, not only for Ukraine, but also for the world in the amount of 2 million euros. Moreover, Austria supports reforms necessary now for the EU accession. For example, through direct support from the Austrian Federal Competition Authority to its Ukrainian counterparts, a visit took place. And we are also open to support new concrete cooperation projects to help you on your path towards a European future, towards European Union integration," she said.

The minister concluded that in total, Austria has provided EUR 300 million worth of bilateral financial and humanitarian assistance, as well as supporting the European Peace Facility and contributing to the EU budget, through which support was provided for humanitarian demining, energy security, IDPs, women and children affected by Russian aggression.

The Foreign Minister added that Ukraine was supported by a number of regional initiatives and projects, as well as civil society.

"Austrian companies were among the largest investors in Ukraine before the war and our ambition is for our companies to make a major contribution to reconstruction. I am very happy to announce that soon at the end of March a very big business delegation is heading towards Kiev headed by the Landeshauptfrau Michel Leiter from Lower Austria," Meinl-Reisinger announced.

According to the top diplomat, Austria’s Federal Government also supports economic partnership and reconstruction, for example, with guarantees of up to EUR 500 million.

As Ukrinform reported, the newly-appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, arrived on a Ukraine visit on Friday, March 14.