This was announced by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Ukraine is feeding the world in these times of scarcity. The ‘Paths of Solidarity’ are bringing essential income to Ukraine. Over the last 16 months, this has already generated €42 billion in revenue for Ukraine,” she said, adding that 65% of Ukrainian agricultural exports go through these routes.
“We are also investing significant funds in strengthening these routes—railways, roads, and border crossings. Last year, we promised €1 billion in investments, and it’s good that this amount has already been exceeded. Every effort and every euro invested is worthwhile because it consolidates the Ukrainian economy in our single market,” Ursula von der Leyen noted.
She also emphasized Ukraine’s progress since obtaining candidate status for EU membership. “I must say that you have made excellent progress. We will confirm this next week when the commission presents its enlargement report,” she said.
The European Union has provided Ukraine with the opportunity to directly receive funding. Now Ukraine can apply for financing for infrastructure projects related to expanding the main export routes of the “Paths of Solidarity” without the need for the participation of other EU countries.
EU Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean explained, “For the first time, Ukraine has the opportunity to apply for funding for infrastructure projects along the ‘Paths of Solidarity’ as an equal partner under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, and to do so on the same terms as any other EU member state.”
This opportunity is also available to Moldova.
In May 2022, the European Commission presented a set of measures under the “Paths of Solidarity” initiative, including support for border checkpoints with technical means and updates to maps of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
In June of this year, Ukraine signed an agreement with the EU to participate in the CEF program, allowing it to participate in competitions for the development of transport infrastructure alongside partners from EU member countries with EU financial support.
The Ukrainian Reconstruction Agency is already involved in joint projects with Poland, Hungary, and Romania under the CEF program, aimed at improving the capacity of border crossings between Ukraine and EU member countries.
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a European Union fund established in 2014 to invest in infrastructure in the areas of transport, energy, digital technologies, and telecommunications across the EU, with the aim of strengthening connections between EU member states. The fund provides financing through grants, financial guarantees, and project bonds.