A new package of UK support, announced by the Transport Secretary this week, will help Ukraine’s transport system recover from Russia’s invasion.
With Ukraine’s skies closed to commercial aircraft, UK Department for Transport funding will support secondments for Ukrainian air traffic controllers, helping them maintain their skills while they undertake training in the UK. This will mitigate the potential long-term impacts of the war on the country’s aviation sector.
UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “By sharing the UK’s world-renowned expertise in aviation, we are steadfast in our commitment to ensuring Ukraine’s transport system recovers from Putin’s illegal invasion.”
Speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, the Transport Secretary urged the private sector to consider how it could be part of the historic work of rebuilding a free Ukraine after the conflict.
The UK has donated $3.7m into a solidarity fund created by EUROCONTROL, the intergovernmental body which works to achieve safe and efficient air traffic management across Europe, providing urgent support to the Ukrainian air navigation service provider (ANSP).
Since the invasion and the closure of Ukrainian airspace, the country’s ANSP has received no funding, as it is dependent on charges levied from airspace users. It is vital, for both Ukraine and European nations, that the ANSP maintains a state of readiness so it can recommence operations when the conflict is over.
Image: Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv
