Transport Secretary Grant Shapps virtually met on Thursday with his Ukrainian counterpart from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov, to sign the agreement. After a presentation detailing the true impact of the war on Ukraine’s train network, roads and bridges, the two ministers signed the joint action plan.
The deal would see UK-based private sector experts share their expertise in areas including reconstruction of airports, runways and ports and provide training opportunities in the Ukrainian aviation sector.
The Go Ahead Group will also send five buses to reconnect the Ukrainian public and purchase equipment to keep essential grain shipments running.
Mr Shapps also outlined the £10 million aid package for Ukrainian railways previously announced by Boris Johnson at the G7 conference, under which the UK would provide equipment to run Ukraine’s grain trains.
He said: “It’s great to meet Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister today and offer the UK’s expertise and resources to help them rebuild and get people moving again in the face of this brutal conflict.” .
“In the UK we have some of the best transport experts in the world and sharing this with Ukraine will not only help them rebuild, but will also boost the profile of UK companies on a global scale.”
Kubrakov praised the deal, saying that if Ukraine were to win the war, it would need support both on and off the “battlefield”.
He said: “The fate of war is not decided on the battlefield alone. Ukraine needs a strong economy and a steadily functioning infrastructure.
“Thanks to today’s agreements, we expect high-quality expertise from leading UK companies and institutions to restore Ukraine’s infrastructure.
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According to a study by the Kyiv School of Economics, total damage to infrastructure in Ukraine has exceeded $108 billion (£91.2 billion) since the start of the war.
The school estimates Ukraine needs $185 billion (£156.3 billion) for the recovery effort.
The assessment does not take into account the recovery of the Ukrainian economy and the modernization of undamaged assets, which Kiev estimates require $750 billion (£634 billion).
As Putin’s war continues with no end in sight, these numbers are likely to continue to increase.