Ukraine’s Top Reconstruction Official to Miss Key German Forum

While more than 20 top Ukrainian officials are listed as participants — including ministers for the economy, finance, health and foreign affairs, and the acting infrastructure minister — the decision to block Nayyem’s attendance and failure to appoint a permanent minister could give the impression that Ukraine’s government doesn’t see reconstruction as an urgent issue.

Zelenskiy’s presence will compensate somewhat at a political level, but there will be discontent among bureaucrats as the situation is “not normal,” Hlib Vyshlinsky, the executive director at the Centre for Economic Strategy in Kyiv, said in a message.

“It shows that nobody is interested in recovery for the time being,” Vyshlinsky said. “There is no money for it and support for defense is more important, along with the summit on Ukraine’s peace formula and long-term budget financing.”

Origin: Bloomberg.