World Bank disburses additional $500 mln to Ukraine

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The World Bank said on Monday it had disbursed an additional $500 million to further fund Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the bank's main lending arm, supported the funding with $500 million in loan guarantees from the United Kingdom, the Bank said.

It comes on the eve of a recovery conference in Berlin on Tuesday, where national leaders, development experts, and CEOs will debate how to aid Ukraine.

“The Russian invasion continues to cause massive destruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure – including water, sanitation, and electricity networks – just as winter is approaching, further endangering Ukrainian people,” World Bank Group President David Malpass said in a statement.

“The new portion of financing disbursed today will be used to maintain essential government services. We stand firmly to support the Ukrainian people as they face this unparalleled crisis.”

The World Bank has mobilized a total of $13 billion in financial aid for Ukraine, $11.4 billion of which has already been disbursed.

EU to make monthly aid cash transfers to Ukraine

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told reporters on October 21 that beginning next year, the EU is planning to provide Ukraine with 1.5 billion euros ($1.46 billion) in monthly economic aid.

According to von der Leyen, Ukraine requested international donors to provide "a stable, reliable and predictable flow" of macroeconomic support.

She further added that Ukraine's conflict with Russia has had an enormous toll on the country's economy and an estimated four billion euros in grants or loans per month would guarantee the maintenance of basic government functions.

Cash transfers will be made on a regular, monthly basis by the EU, US, and international economic institutions.

According to the EU's President, this would see around "1.5 billion per month for Ukraine financed by the European Union. So this will give overall a figure of 18 billion for the next year, an amount Ukraine can count on and where there's a stable and reliable predictable flow of income."

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