The United Kingdom has provided over USD 1.6 billion in financial assistance to Ukraine since February 2022: Sergii Marchenko during the meeting with the newly appointed British Ambassador to Ukraine

On 13 November, Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko met for the first time with the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Martin Harris.

The Minister of Finance of Ukraine congratulated Martin Harris on his recent appointment and thanked the Government and people of the United Kingdom for their comprehensive support for Ukraine.

"I am grateful to the United Kingdom Government for its financial assistance and military support at a crucial time for Ukraine. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has provided over USD 1.6 billion in direct budget support to finance priority social expenditures," added Sergii Marchenko.

The Minister of Finance also noted the UK's leadership in supplying Ukraine with modern and much-needed weapons to effectively fight the aggressor.

The main topics of discussion were the current economic situation in Ukraine, the State Budget for 2024, and further cooperation with the UK Government to accelerate reconstruction and attract investment.

Sergii Marchenko noted that cooperation with the United Kingdom within the framework of the projects of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on war risk insurance in Ukraine plays a crucial role in attracting foreign direct investment and, as a result, boosting the pace of economic recovery.

Outlining the current economic situation, the Minister of Finance said that next year, the need for external financing for non-security and defence expenditures is estimated at USD 41 billion. The Government of Ukraine and its international partners are actively cooperating to ensure the financing of the priority expenditures. The development of cooperation with foreign donors remains a priority for Ukraine in overcoming the devastating consequences of the war.

For his part, Martin Harris noted that the entire civilised world is united in its support for Ukraine and the UK will continue to provide unwavering assistance in the fight against the aggressor.