Politics
Renovated hospital and preschool open in Lviv Oblast with EU bank support
- Lviv’s St Luke’s Hospital has been upgraded to provide better medical care and a more resilient environment for patients, visitors and healthcare workers amid wartime challenges.
- Preschool No.7 in Truskavets has been renovated to improve energy efficiency to provide a stable learning space for children and educators, including those displaced by the war.
- These projects are part of the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme, aimed at rebuilding essential social infrastructure in Ukrainian communities.
As Ukraine marks three years of Russia’s full-scale war, the European Union continues to support the reconstruction of the country’s vital infrastructure. Two public buildings in Lviv Oblast – St Luke’s Hospital in Lviv and preschool No.7 “Dzvinochok” in Truskavets – have officially opened after renovations. Supported by the European Union and its financial arm, the European Investment Bank (EIB), these projects are part of the broader Ukraine Early Recovery Programme that funds the restoration of essential social infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, water and heating systems and social housing. As war-affected communities continue to face immense challenges, these investments help ensure access to critical services and create more resilient spaces.
Lviv’s St Luke’s Hospital, a key emergency and specialised care centre, has undergone a €940 000 renovation to improve services for its 50 000 annual patients. Home to western Ukraine’s largest burn unit, it plays a crucial role in treating severe injuries. The upgrades, in particular facade insulation and energy efficiency improvements, enhance the hospital’s resilience while creating a more comfortable space for patients, including internally displaced persons.
A €330 000 renovation of preschool No.7 “Dzvinochok” in Truskavets, Lviv Oblast, has created a more energy-efficient and welcoming learning space for pupils including for children displaced by the war and for staff. The project significantly increased the appeal of the building, while increasing its energy efficiency and reducing energy costs. With improved insulation the preschool is now more resilient and sustainable.
In Lviv Oblast, two facilities have already been renovated and six are undergoing reconstruction under the EIB recovery programmes, with a total investment of over €15 million. This includes six educational institutions and two medical facilities, improving access to education and healthcare in the region.
EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska, who is responsible for the Bank’s operations in Ukraine, said: “From day one of Russia’s full-scale war and throughout these three difficult years, the EIB has stood by Ukraine, providing vital support to help the country withstand, recover and rebuild. The reopening of renovated hospital and school in Lviv Oblast is a testament to this ongoing effort, bringing tangible improvements to people’s daily lives.”
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said: “Every rebuilt hospital, school, and kindergarten sends a clear message: the EU stands firmly with Ukraine. Together with the EIB, we are not only helping to repair what has been damaged but also laying the foundations for a stronger, safer Ukraine that is ready to thrive as part of the EU.”
Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba said: “Together with the EIB, EU Delegation and UNDP, we are modernising outdated and war-damaged infrastructure across Ukraine. Millions of Ukrainians already benefit from renovated schools, hospitals and kindergartens. We have recently launched the first phase of the Ukraine Recovery III programme, paving the way for additional impactful initiatives that will enhance communities and improve the lives of Ukrainians thanks to the EU support.”
Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko said: “Rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure is crucial for strengthening resilience and improving living conditions for our people. With the support of the EU, we are delivering critical projects that enhance healthcare, education and public services. The three EIB-backed recovery programmes, worth €640 million, play a key role in this effort, helping communities rebuild and move forward despite ongoing challenges.”
Head of the Lviv Oblast Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi said: “The EU bank’s investment in Lviv Oblast is strengthening our region’s infrastructure at a critical time. With many communities hosting large numbers of displaced people, improving healthcare, education and essential services is more important than ever. These projects help ensure that our cities and towns remain functional, resilient and able to meet the needs of all who live here.”
Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi said: “Restoring and strengthening our city’s infrastructure is essential to supporting both our residents and those who have found refuge here due to the war. With the support of the EU, we are rebuilding vital facilities to ensure Lviv remains a city of resilience, opportunity and hope. Today, we inaugurated a renovated hospital, with many other projects underway to improve daily life and build a stronger future for our community.”
Mayor of Truskavets Andriy Kulchynsky said: “We are grateful to the EU for this investment in our community. The renovation of Preschool No.7 creates a warm, modern and energy-efficient space where our children can learn and grow.”
UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine Jaco Cilliers said: “Behind every rebuilt hospital and renovated school, we see renewed hope for Ukrainian families and communities. UNDP’s partnership with local authorities isn’t just about infrastructure – it’s about restoring essential services that affect people’s daily lives. Working alongside the EU and EIB, we’re helping transform technical recovery projects into tangible improvements for children seeking education, patients needing care and citizens rebuilding their futures.”
Background information
EIB in Ukraine
The EIB Group has been supporting Ukraine’s resilience, economy and efforts to rebuild since the very first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In 2024, the Bank supported projects aimed at securing Ukraine’s energy supply, repairing critical infrastructure that has been damaged, and ensuring that essential services continue to be delivered across the country. This brings the total amount of aid the EIB has disbursed since the start of the war to over €2.2 billion.
EIB recovery programmes in Ukraine
Renovations of a hospital and kindergarten in Lviv Oblast were carried out under the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme (UERP), a €200 million multisectoral framework loan from the EIB. Overall, the Bank finances three recovery programmes, totalling €640 million, which are provided as framework loans to the government of Ukraine. Through these programmes, Ukrainian communities gain access to financial resources to restore essential social infrastructure, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, housing, heating, and water systems. These EIB-backed programmes are further supported by €15 million in EU grants to facilitate implementation. The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, coordinates and oversees the programme implementation, while local authorities and self-governments are responsible for managing recovery sub-projects. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine provides technical assistance to local communities, supporting project implementation and ensuring independent monitoring for transparency and accountability. More information about the programmes is available here.
Politics
EUDA welcomes Belgian National Drug Commissioner
This week, the EUDA hosted the Belgian National Drug Commissioner, Ine Van Wymersch, during her two-day visit to Lisbon. Ms Van Wymersch was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Fabien Gerard and other members of the Belgian National Drug Commission.
During the visit, on 3 June, the delegation received an in-depth overview of the agency’s work. EUDA Executive Director Alexis Goosdeel presented the agency’s new mandate and its current state of implementation. EUDA experts followed, with briefings on key areas of the agency’s activity, including drug markets, crime and precursors, prison-related…
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eu-LISA Industry Roundtable June 2025 – Registration Now Closed
Building Better Government Software at Scale – Agile, DevSecOps and Software Factories
The next edition of the Industry Roundtable, titled ‘Building Better Government Software at Scale – Agile, DevSecOps and Software Factories’, will take place on 11-12 June 2025 in Warsaw, Poland, under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The event will be organised in a hybrid format allowing for in-person and online participation. This iteration will focus on the benefits that new technology trends such as Software Factories – built upon the principles of Agile approaches and DevSecOps methodologies – can bring to the EU public sector organisations (both at MS and EU levels). The event will also feature presentations and discussions on new technological solutions that can help to achieve those benefits while addressing some of the pending challenges.
EU institutions are increasingly relying on digital solutions, which are often complex and require significant investment in IT and software development. To meet the fast pace of delivery, public sector authorities are adopting cutting-edge methodologies like Agile, DevSecOps, and Software Factories, as well as technologies such as cloud computing, automation, and AI.
Registrations for the eu-LISA Industry Roundtable are now closed.
Agile methodologies
Agile methodologies provide a structured yet flexible approach to managing complex IT projects, enabling institutions to deliver services and applications faster while adapting to evolving needs. Agile allows public institutions to prioritise user-centric development, iteratively improving systems to meet high standards of accessibility and inclusivity. Furthermore, Agile fosters collaboration across departments, breaking down silos and ensuring that IT projects align with broader organizational goals. For EU institutions managing diverse and cross-border initiatives, this collaborative and adaptive framework is essential for driving cohesion and innovation.
DevSecOps
DevSecOps integrates software development and IT operations and further strengthens security and data protection by design, integrating security and data protection into every phase of the software development lifecycle, a critical need in today’s heightened cybersecurity landscape. As EU public sector institutions handle vast amounts of sensitive data, embedding security and data protection by design, reduces vulnerabilities and enhances compliance with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), EUDPR, Regulation for Cybersecurity of EU Institutions or the NIS2 Directive.
Software Factories
Coupled with the concept of Software Factories — highly automated environments for rapid and scalable software development — these methodologies provide EU institutions with the ability to respond swiftly to new legislative mandates, security threats, or societal challenges. The Software Factory approach is also a powerful tool that can be used by public institutions to become more independent in their software design and development, and less reliant on outsourcing to external contractors for the fulfilment of IT projects. The increased level of IT self-sufficiency and technical ownership brought by the implementation of Software Factories can be key to improve performance in areas such as:
- Improved control over the products and systems offered which, in turn, will result in faster and more economically efficient ways to adapt such services to changing demands and regulations,
- Better management and more efficient use of resources (both human and financial),
- Lowering of potential risks related to guaranteeing long-term services (e.g., vendor lock-in situations, market discontinuity of products), and
- Shorter time-to-market.
Together, Agile, DevSecOps, and Software Factories, combined as well with other innovative IT practices such as cloud computing or AI-based tools, empower public institutions to build secure, efficient, and citizen-focused digital ecosystems while fostering trust and resilience across the Union.
About the Industry Roundtable
The eu-LISA Industry Roundtable is a collaborative platform that convenes representatives from the industry, Member States’ authorities, and EU institutions to facilitate an open dialogue on the latest technological advancements and innovations in the migration and home affairs domain. This forum enables eu-LISA stakeholders to share knowledge, exchange best practices, and discuss the potential applications and implications of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, biometrics, and data analytics, in supporting the Agency’s mission to manage EU’s large-scale IT systems for migration, asylum, and border management. By fostering a spirit of cooperation and information-sharing, the eu-LISA Industry Roundtable helps to identify opportunities, address challenges, and shape the future of technology-enabled solutions in the field of migration and home affairs.
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Joint Statement by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Alberto van Klaveren on the provisional application of the EU-Chile Advanced Framework Agreement
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