Go to main content
  • 27.02.2023

GET participates at Café Kyiv

GET has participated at Café Kyiv and organised a panel on economic reconstruction.

The panel was moderated by Robert Kirchner, Deputy Head of the German Economic Team. The keynote address was delivered by Professor Timofiy Mylovanov, President of the Kyiv School of Economics and former Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine. He described the economic challenges posed by Russia’s war of aggression, while underlining the resilience of the Ukrainian economy. He stressed the central importance of international support for Ukraine.

Afterwards, Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, Guido Goldman Distinguished Scholar for Geostrategy at the German Marshall Fund, Maria Repko, Deputy Director of the Centre for Economic Strategy in Kyiv, Heike Freimuth, Head of the Berlin Office of the European Investment Bank, and Reiner Perau, Managing Director of the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, discussed the economic situation of the country, as well as topics related to reconstruction.

According to Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, close transatlantic coordination in supporting Ukraine and its reconstruction is of eminent importance. Only the cooperation of the two blocs on both sides of the Atlantic would make the measures taken for Ukraine fully effective.

Maria Repko described the country’s very difficult economic situation. Russia was deliberately bombing civilian infrastructure. However, thanks to a relatively determined reform course in recent years, the Ukrainian economy is more resilient than initially expected. Nevertheless, the country’s financial needs are enormous. It is important that international aid is disbursed quickly.

The resilience of the Ukrainian economy was confirmed by all participants. Reiner Perau pointed to the importance of the private sector. It would also make an important contribution to reconstruction, but this would require planning security, which could be created, for example, in the form of investment guarantees.

However, it is also clear that it will not work without the support of public institutions. Heike Freimuth described the role of EU and EIB, which were preparing to play a decisive role in the reconstruction process. Both institutions are already heavily involved in the current support for Ukraine, she said.