Head of the UN in Ukraine Calls for Putting People at the Centre of Ukraine’s Recovery

It is unfathomable that we are entering a fifth year of full-scale war and that it is twelve years since the start of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. 

The RDNA is again precise in documenting the price tag of infrastructure destruction and sustainable recovery needs. I commend the Government and its partners and in particular the World Bank and the EU. 

While most sectors saw increases, one positive trend, the explosive hazards management sector saw a 7.5% decrease in estimated needs (down to US$27.6 billion) due to improved survey methodologies and progress in land release. 

The energy sector, in contrast, saw a 33.7% increase in needs due to widespread destruction of generation and transmission systems. And the full extent of energy damage because of the weaponisation of energy against the civilian populations is not yet comprehensively captured in the data, as the data used are up to the end of December 2025.

At this point, supporting recovery and reconstruction is not just about building a better future but also imperative for survival.  The summer will be needed to repair the many buildings impacted, and to prepare for the next winter.  And many are worried that the relentless attacks by the Russian Federation armed forces, causing potential major challenges in the water and sewage infrastructure.

Allow me also to underline that humanitarian needs persist, particularly along over 1700 km of the frontline, where our partners continue to work under extreme risk to deliver critical humanitarian action. 

Ukraine's most critical asset is your people. What an RDNA can never fully capture is the destruction of human beings and their souls and mental well-being. People are central for the recovery. Recovery must, in the first instance, be about rebuilding lives, including those who are internally displaced, with many struggling to find stable employment and access adequate housing. Among those displaced, older persons and people with disabilities, suffer the most.

Educational disruptions are threatening learning outcomes and risks reducing future opportunities for many young people. Involving women fully in recovery remains paramount. Investing in people means significant investments in social and health services, education, accessible infrastructure for people with disabilities, decent jobs, sustainable livelihoods in rural and urban areas, robust mental health support services and access to culture. 

Robust efforts are needed to open economic opportunities including for the most vulnerable in society. During my regular visits to front-line hromadas and oblasts - last week I was in Mykolaiv and Kherson - I often hear that a top priority is creating decent, stable and secure employment to facilitate returns and rebuild lives. 

The UN is fully supportive of the Government’s Ukraine Economy of the Future Approach, which we understand as shifting from an emergency footing to a long-term strategy focused on "winning the peace". The strategy acknowledges that the pre-war economic model is insufficient for recovery and needs to be adapted.  

Recovery cannot be left to the private sector alone.  A private investor friendly environment rquires enhancing the capacity of Ukraine’s public sector to deliver on public infrastructure and transport and to prepare, implement, and monitor investments effectively and impactfully.

Finally, I'm fully supportive of the focus on comprehensive community recovery (housing, heating, and services combined) not least to encourage the return of displaced populations. By supporting courageous and determined communities, strengthening local systems, sub-national government and civil society, we can overcome the immense challenges and build a dynamic and progressive Ukrainian economy and society for the future.

Thank you!