Alena Shkrum, the First Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, made this announcement.
According to her, the grant agreement with Italy for 27.5 million euros will be part of a larger aid package aimed at restoring cultural sites specifically in Odessa.
The list of sites to be revitalized includes:
- Odessa Philharmonic (formerly the New Exchange);
- Odessa National Art Museum (Potocki Palace);
- Museum of Western and Eastern Art (Abazi Palace);
- Odessa Literary Museum.
The ministry emphasizes that this is not only about preserving architectural heritage but also developing tourism and creating accessible public spaces of European standards.
The signing of the agreement is scheduled for the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, which will take place in June in Rome.
According to Alena Shkrum, the preparation of this document took over four months and involved numerous intergovernmental approvals.
Additionally, in the cooperation with Italy, the following initiatives are planned:
- a loan for the construction of a new wing for a children's hospital in Odessa,
- a grant for the reconstruction of irrigation systems in the region.
These initiatives are part of a joint memorandum between Ukraine and Italy aimed at restoring the Odessa region.
