The European Union has decided to allocate 76 million euros in grant aid for the implementation of the first stage of the construction of the Eurotrack in Ukraine. This is a project to lay the European railway track of the 1435 mm standard on the Sknyliv - Mostyska II section, which will connect Lviv with the Polish border and open an additional direct railway connection between Ukraine and the European Union.

The allocation of funds became possible thanks to the long and painstaking work of the Ministry for Development and Trade together with JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”.

The funding will be allocated within the framework of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2024 program - the main EU instrument for the development of strategic infrastructure.

“This is a major and strategic decision. Eurotrack means shorter travel times, no need for passenger transfers, new opportunities for transit, and unloading of checkpoints. And at the same time, it is an investment in Ukraine’s economic stability, trade development, export strengthening, new opportunities for business and logistics. This is extremely important, especially in the context of a major war, when it comes to the country’s ability to ensure stability, movement, and interaction with partners. Despite the challenges of a full-scale invasion – closed airports, ports, and damaged infrastructure,” said Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration - Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

The project involves the creation of the first full-fledged section of the European track from the Polish border to Lviv. After the work is completed, Ukrainian passenger and freight trains will be able to travel to Poland and EU countries without transfers, without changing wagons, and without stopping at the border.

The construction of the Sknyliv – Mostyska II section is not the only European infrastructure project in western Ukraine. The construction of the Eurorail between Uzhhorod and Chop is also being completed, and the border control point has already been moved from the border to the Mostyska II station - this decision speeds up the clearance procedures and optimizes logistics.

In total, within the framework of CEF 2024, the EU is investing more than 2.8 billion euros in the development of transport infrastructure on the continent, of which 77% is directed specifically to the railway industry. The Ukrainian part of this process is real integration into the European transport system and confirmation of the irreversibility of our course.

The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, together with JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” in cooperation with partners, continues to work on the integration of Ukrainian infrastructure into the trans-European transport network TEN-T, which includes railway, road and intermodal connections, as well as border crossings and logistics hubs.