The German Economic Team at Café Kyiv
On 19 February 2024, Café Kyiv, organised by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, took place in Berlin. As part of the event, the German Economic Team organised a panel that addressed key issues relating to Ukraine’s economic reconstruction. The pane was moderated by Robert Kirchner.
Panelists:
- Dr Franziska Brantner, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action
- Inna Sovsun, Vice-Head of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Group of the Verkhovna Rada
- Natalie Pauwels, Head of Unit NEAR E.1, DG NEAR, European Commission
- Rémi Duflot, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine
- Veronika Movchan, Academic Director at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting IER, Kyiv
- Stefan Kägebein, Regional Director for Eastern Europe, German Eastern Business Association
The discussion, structured around guiding questions, commenced after a thought-provoking introductory video by Deputy Prime Minister Ms. Stefanishyna.
Key Highlights:
- Franziska Brantner provided insights into Germany’s contributions to Ukraine’s economic and financial resilience, emphasizing support mechanisms such as export credit and investment insurance. The discussion also explored Germany’s pivotal role in facilitating Ukraine’s path to EU membership and potential financing models for reconstruction, with an emphasis on cooperation between public and private institutions at the EU level.
- Inna Sovsun offered perspectives from Ukraine, emphasizing the imperative to resist Russian aggression while maintaining economic stability and advancing EU accession negotiations. She outlined the requisite support from EU partners and underscored the strengths of the Ukrainian economy for the EU single market, envisioning membership as a mutually beneficial outcome.
- Natalie Pauwels provided updates on the UKR Plan and Facility, shedding light on its evolution over the past two years and its role in economic recovery and reconstruction efforts.
- Stefan Kägebein discussed the role of the German private sector in reconstruction efforts, outlining the necessary support from both Germany/EU and Ukraine. Challenges and opportunities arising from Ukraine’s EU membership aspirations were also explored.
A special highlight of the event was the welcome address by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
