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On 25 June, Kęstutis Budrys, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is attending the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, spoke at the discussion session dedicated to the activities of the Ukraine Transport Support Fund, and signed a joint declaration with Andreas Carlson, Sweden's Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Kuldar Leis, Minister of Infrastructure of Estonia and Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and the Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, on the first contributions to the Fund. Lithuania’s contribution amounts to one million euros.

The Ukraine Transport Support Fund was established in February this year in Stockholm on the initiative of Lithuania, Ukraine, Canada, and Sweden. It aims to finance urgent and feasible transport infrastructure and logistics projects to sustain Ukraine's economy, resilience, exports, and mobility.
“The reconstruction of Ukraine starts with the ability to ensure the continuity of state functions during the war, at the same time laying the foundations for a peaceful life in the future. Transport networks – roads, railways, border infrastructure, logistics, and digital solutions – are Ukraine’s most critical recovery needs, and the country’s economy cannot recover without mobility. As one of the initiators of the Ukraine Transport Support Fund, Lithuania is proud to contribute to this initiative, which will strengthen the resilience of the state and lay the foundations for its European future," said Budrys.
The Minister underlined that one of the biggest challenges for Ukraine’s recovery is the implementation capacity – the ability to turn promises into real projects. Therefore, Lithuania, together with its partners, is developing a model that allows for fast and transparent financing of specific, clearly defined projects.
Budrys also reminded that Lithuania has extensive experience in implementing such practical projects. Lithuania and Iceland are leading the Demining Capability Coalition for Ukraine, which currently comprises 23 member countries and has successfully mobilized over 141 million euros. Through the Central Project Management Agency, Lithuania implements EU-funded reconstruction programmes, civil protection projects, and other infrastructure solutions in Ukraine. According to the Minister, such experience and high standards of implementation are the basis of the Fund's activities.
According to the Minister, the Ukraine Transport Support Fund is modeled after a successful example in the energy sector, the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, which has proven that a clearly defined sector, specific needs, and reliable implementation are critical for mobilizing international partners. Budrys stressed that everyone who understands that investing in Ukraine's resilience is an investment in Europe's security and in that of a broader democratic world is invited to join the new fund.
At the conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine also signed a joint declaration strengthening cooperation between the municipalities of Lithuania and Ukraine. The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian municipalities to plan for reconstruction, ensure the continuity of vital public services, and effectively manage international funding. Partnerships with Ukraine will help Lithuanian municipalities to take over Ukrainian lessons learned in extreme conditions. Lithuania allocated 1 million euros to this programme.
Budrys also stressed that Ukraine's recovery is an opportunity to show that investments in democracy and resilience are stronger than aggression and destruction. With institutional support for Ukraine of over €1.85 billion between 2022 and 2026, Lithuania stands ready to continue its leadership in providing support for Ukraine and to work with partners to keep Ukraine connected, mobile, and resilient.