NBU Governor Kyrylo Shevchenko has asked the central banks of Canada, Japan, the U.S., the UK, and the European Central Bank to offer commercial banks to open single special accounts for raising funds for Ukraine.
On the first day of russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the NBU opened a special multi-currency account to help the Ukrainian Army and, on 1 March, a current account for the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine for humanitarian purposes. An equivalent of almost UAH 14.7 billion has since been remitted to the special accounts. That includes the equivalent of more than UAH 4.7 billion in foreign currencies (U.S. dollars, euros, GB pounds, Canadian dollars, Chinese renminbi, Japanese yen, Swiss francs, Polish zlotys, Australian dollars). However, according to the information available to the NBU, the cost of making transfers from abroad is rather high. In addition, some foreign financial institutions do not make transfers to Ukraine. These circumstances are severely limiting Ukraine’s ability to receive the financial aid it so urgently needs today, the NBU Governor said in his address.
“If every country opens a single special account for further centralized transfers of funds to the special accounts of the NBU and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, all those willing to support Ukraine’s fight against russia will be able to do so,” stressed Kyrylo Shevchenko.