European Union delivers on its commitments in support of Ukraine

This morning, in the margins of the third meeting of the European Union-Ukraine Association Council, the European Commission and Ukraine signed a number of agreements, further demonstrating the EU's ongoing commitment to Ukraine and to the ongoing reform efforts that Ukraine is undertaking. The agreement supporting Ukraine's public administration reform is worth €104 million, and is one component of a larger package totalling €300 million of EU support for accountable and transparent governance in Ukraine. In addition, a series of cross-border cooperation agreements were signed, confirming Ukraine's participation in EU-funded programmes involving Romania; Poland and Belarus; Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, and the Black Sea region. These programmes will promote continued economic and social development in regions on both sides of common borders and addressing common challenges in a range of priority areas, as well as to ensure efficient and secure borders. For more information on the agreements, visit the website. This afternoon the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Ukraine will sign the latest set of loans, totalling approximately €600 million and underpinned partly by EU grants, in the total €3 billion financial assistance programme for 2014-2016. This is part of the €11 billion EU support package announced by the EU in March 2014, and demonstrates the EU's commitment to helping Ukraine stabilise its economic and financial situation, increase resilience, and act as a catalyst for prosperity for the citizens of Ukraine. The signing ceremony will be available live on EbS at 14:00, at which time more information will be available in the press release of the EIB. The Association Council was held one month after the successful 18^th EU-Ukraine Summit, and a week after the EU released a joint report examining the state of play of Ukraine's implementation of its Association Agenda since 1 January 2015 (press release available here). For more information on the European Union's relations with Ukraine, see the factsheet and visit the website of the EU Delegation in Ukraine and the European Commission's Support Group for Ukraine. The joint press release, issued upon the conclusion of the Association Council, is available here.