Of the 18 billion it is expected to receive from the European Union in 2023, Ukraine has received a down payment of three billion euros, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced .

"Ukraine has received the first three billion euros of a new financial program worth 18 billion euros" to support the Ukrainian economy, the Ukrainian president wrote on Twitter.

He thanked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the group of twenty-seven for the "strong support" of Kiev, almost 11 months after the start of the Russian invasion.

In mid-December, the EU approved the granting of this new financial assistance to Ukraine, after painstaking negotiations between member states.

The Europeans have committed to provide 1,5 billion euros per month to Ukraine during 2023 to finance public spending. The support comes in the form of interest-free loans over 35 years, with the possibility of debt cancellation.