Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation, Keir Mather MP, addresses 4 years since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine
Welcome to this month’s newsletter of the UK-Ukraine Transport Partnership. Today, 24 February 2026 marks 4 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In addition to the tragic loss of life, Ukraine has suffered significant damage to its infrastructure. In December 2024, the World Bank estimated Ukraine’s total recovery and reconstruction needs at $524bn over
the next decade. Damage to the transport sector was estimated at US$36.7bn, with reconstruction and immediate recovery needs estimated at almost US$78bn.
At the Department for Transport, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Ukraine as it continues to defend its sovereignty and maintain and rebuild its essential national services under exceptionally challenging conditions. The ongoing conflict has placed unprecedented strain on Ukraine’s transport networks and infrastructure; rail, road, aviation and maritime systems that are vital for civilian movement, humanitarian access and economic resilience.
This is why, since the beginning of the conflict, the Department for Transport has provided sustained support across all modes of transport. In 2022 and 2023, the Department worked with Network Rail to deliver a £10 million package of rail supplies to Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state railway company. DfT has provided extended support to retain critical maritime skills through a £1.5 million grant enabling Ukrainians to train as merchant navy officers in the UK and delivering virtual reality training equipment to Odesa Maritime Academy in 2023.
In the aviation sector, the Department for Transport has contributed £10.8 million to EUROCONTROL’s Solidarity Fund to help maintain Ukraine’s aviation workforce during the war, and has offered technical expertise to support Ukraine’s operational readiness for the eventual reopening of its airspace, once conditions allow. Domestic support to Ukrainians residing in the UK allows the continued use of Ukrainian driving licences and Ukrainian plated vehicles without the need for registration, and providing free onward travel from the port of entry to refugee’s final destination in England, Scotland and Wales.
Looking further into the future at long term reconstruction, the Department for Transport has worked with expert consultancies and Ukrainian partners to provide regional strategic planning for the regions of Lviv and Kharkiv. This includes identifying opportunities to modernise infrastructure so that Ukraine can rebuild in a way that is safer, greener, and better connected. These partnerships play a vital role in ensuring that recovery is not only about repairing what has been lost, but about enabling Ukraine to build back better and create a transport system equipped for the decades ahead.
The Department for Transport’s support would fall short without the substantial expertise and engagement of businesses across the transport sector including those in the UK-Ukraine Transport Partnership, whose continued generosity, technical collaboration and practical assistance have played a meaningful role in sustaining Ukraine’s resilience and planning to build back better in the future. Your commitment has strengthened the collective effort to uphold essential services and support Ukraine’s long term recovery.
Restoring and strengthening Ukraine’s transport systems is essential not only for reconstruction, but for supporting communities, enabling trade, and ensuring the continued flow of humanitarian assistance. The Department for Transport will continue to stand alongside Ukraine, offering expertise, targeted assistance, and partnership to help rebuild a safe, modern and resilient transport network for the future.
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