European Bank for Reconstruction and Development pledges €35 million to aid Kharkiv
Source: Ihor Terekhov/TelegramThe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has pledged up €35 million to support Kharkiv’s crippled critical infrastructure ahead of winter months. This package consists of a €25 million loan and a €10 million non-refundable grant, as announced on October 23, 2024.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov thanked EDRD for its unprecedented aid that underscores the deep trust between the band and Ukraine’s 2nd largest city, built over years of cooperation.
The funds will go toward maintaining the operation of essential services, including utilities that provide heat, water, and energy to residents. They will also help set up the decentralized systems of heat, water, and energy supply, which will strengthen the city’s infrastructure against enemy attacks. It will also help curb rising utility costs for the public.
In related news, Pennsylvania has also pledged support to help rebuild Zaporizhzhia, particularly its energy infrastructure, following an agreement between Ivan Fedorov, the head of Zaporizhzhia’s regional administration, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.