The US will provide an additional $1.3 billion in aid to Ukraine’s economymainly in basic infrastructure, the American Secretary of State announced today Anthony Blicken from London where a donor conference is being held for the war-torn country.

“As long as Russia continues to destroy, we will be there to help Ukraine rebuild: rebuild lives, rebuild the country, rebuild its future,” Anthony Blinken stressed.

About half American aid ($520 million) will be used to rebuild the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, while 657 million dollars will be used for the “modernization” of Ukrainian railways, ports, borders and “all important infrastructures connecting the country with Europe“, explained the American minister.

The rest of the money will go to support Ukrainian businesses and finance the digitization process of the Ukrainian public administration, mainly with the aim of “fighting corruption“, he added, a clear message to the Ukrainian leaders whom he asked to continue the reforms in this direction.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the US has released more than $20 billion to support the Ukrainian economy and development, and more than $40 billion to support the country’s military. But as other European leaders at the summit, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said, Blinken called and the private sector to commit to rebuilding Ukraine.

“Although governments and financial institutions have an important role to play in rebuilding Ukraine, only the private sector can mobilize the necessary level of investment to meet the country’s massive needs,” he said. Alongside Blinken insisted that Russia should pay for the damage caused by its invasion. “Russia is responsible for the destruction of Ukraine. And Russia must ultimately support the cost of rebuilding Ukraine.”

For her part, von der Leyen He estimated that the EU has a “special responsibility” towards Ukraine in the long term, as he presented the bloc’s investment plans for the country. “These are for Ukraine’s immediate needs. But let’s talk about the future. I believe that the EU has a special responsibility,” he noted. “Ukrainians tell us that when they imagine their future, they see the flag of Europe flying in their cities. And I have no doubt that Ukraine will become a member of our union.”

German Foreign Minister Analena Burbock underlined the need to link Ukraine’s recovery with its EU membership. “I am convinced that we must further link Ukraine’s recovery with the EU accession process,” she commented. “Our goal is to help rebuild an EU-friendly Ukraine.”

In addition, her French counterpart Catherine Colonna presented a new insurance mechanism against the effects of war to support Ukraine’s recovery. “I am announcing today the creation of an insurance mechanism to cover investments in Ukraine against war-related risks through the French state investment bank,” Colonna explained.