Ukraine’s ambition to be fully ready to join EU in two years - PM
This is stated in Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal's oped for the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, the translation of which is published on the Government website, reports Ukrinform.
"We have an ambitious plan to be fully ready for joining the EU in two years. We are sure that we will win the war and liberate our lands. We are sure that together with our allies we will implement an extraordinary recovery program that will benefit not only Ukraine but also Italy and the whole of Europe. The future starts today, not tomorrow," Shmyhal wrote.
He noted that Russia had caused unprecedented destruction to Ukraine, the likes of which Europe has not seen since World War 2. Almost a third of its territory is contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance. Tens of thousands of houses have been destroyed, as well as thousands of hospitals and schools. Some 50% of the country’s power system has been affected. Russian bombs, missiles, and projectiles wiped hundreds of towns and villages off the face of the earth.
The World Bank has conducted a thorough analysis of the destruction in the territories currently free of active hostilities and Russian presence. The experts determined that Ukraine requires nearly $411 billion to complete recovery but this is not the final tally.
"Ukraine is working with partners on a Marshall Plan. After World War 2, such a plan helped Europe and Italy to revive. Ukraine’s recovery will be a victory not only for us. Such a program can become one of the key boosters for the European economy in the 2020s," head of government emphasized.
He has noted the fact that Italy is EU’s third-largest economy. Italian companies can play one of the key roles in the Ukraine Recovery Plan. Ukraine is already inviting Italian businesses to cooperate as the Plan’s implementation kicks off as early as this year.
Shmyhal said the government had identified several key sectors that will become the basis for the recovery and transformation of the economy. It is about the military-industrial complex, energy, the agricultural sector, infrastructure, and IT.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday had arrived on a visit to Italy. In Rome, he took part in a bilateral conference on Ukraine’s recovery and held a meeting with the country’s president, head of the Council of Ministers, and heads of the chambers of the Italian parliament.
