Following the ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the Agreement between the Governments of Ukraine and the United States on the establishment of the Recovery Investment Fund, Ukraine’s Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko and her deputies held a media briefing within the premises of Parliament.
Yuliia Svyrydenko emphasized that the document is historic, as it marks the first formal definition of a long-term strategic economic partnership between Ukraine and the United States. «The Fund will be established on equal terms — 50/50 — and will invest exclusively in projects on the territory of Ukraine. There is no mention of debt — only investment in the future,» she underscored.
It was specifically emphasized that Ukraine retains full ownership of its natural resources and licenses, and that the implementation agreements currently being prepared must remain strictly within the scope of the ratified Agreement.
Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Kachka, for his part, noted that the document agreed upon with the United States ensures a transparent structure that is legally balanced and endorsed by all parliamentary committees. «We sought a mechanism that would satisfy the interests of both sides. And, as the vote demonstrated, we found it,» he stated.
The Fund is established as a permanent mechanism and, according to Deputy Minister Kachka, will enable the implementation of «the most large-scale, long-term projects focused on Ukraine’s reconstruction and development.»
He also emphasized that work on the agreement had been carried out intensively, around the clock, since mid-March. The fact that the document was ratified with 338 votes in favor—without a single vote against or abstention—demonstrates the high level of trust in the proposed model. «This is the result of transparent dialogue with parliamentary committees and evidence that Ukraine and the United States have chosen a legally sound and mutually acceptable form of cooperation,» he stated.