The European Commission has decided to redirect €135 million to Ukraine and Moldova, which was originally allocated to Russia and Belarus under the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The European Commission's press service announced this information on August 16.
For the period from 2021 to 2027, Russia and Belarus expected to receive funds through the Interreg NEXT program, designed for cross-border cooperation between the EU and neighboring regions.
However, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of EU sanctions, Russia and Belarus were excluded from the program and cooperation was temporarily suspended. As a result, €26 million has already been reallocated to support cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova. The new decision also reallocates the remaining funds.
Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, commented on the situation: "The decision to cancel the originally foreseen cooperation with Russia and Belarus through our Interreg programs is a result of Russia's brutal war against Ukraine. I am glad that the funds we had originally planned for this cooperation will now benefit EU programs with Ukraine and Moldova. This will help strengthen cooperation between EU regions and local stakeholders with Ukrainian and Moldovan partners."
The funding will be used for a variety of programs, including Solidarity Lanes for alternative export corridors for Ukrainian products, development of cross-border transport links, medical services, education and research projects, and strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities.
