BERLIN, October 25. /TASS/: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that the West intends to provide assistance to Ukraine "for decades" to come, noting that a "Marshall Plan of the 21st century" was on the agenda. He was speaking at the opening of an international conference on the restoration of Ukraine in Berlin on Tuesday.
"Now is the moment to discuss what the future of Ukraine should be and how it should be financed. We are here today to consider how to secure and maintain funding for Ukraine's reconstruction and modernization for years and decades to come," Scholz said, adding that it was not just a donor conference, but something more fundamental.
"This is nothing but creation of a new Marshall Plan for the 21st century - a task for generations that must begin now," Scholz stressed.
At the same time, he described as "the right geopolitical decision" the European Union’s support for Kiev. In addition, Scholz assured that Western support for Ukraine would last as long as necessary.
Scholz assured that Western support for Ukraine would last as long as needed. Germany, he said, will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to Kiev, including the supply of air defense systems.
The German chancellor expressed hope that the issue of the restoration of Ukraine would be put on the agenda by the Indonesian authorities during the G20 summit in Bali in November.
On Tuesday, an international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, organized by the Group of Seven, is being held in Berlin. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen spoke at the opening. The conference will also be attended by experts, international organizations, analysts, scientists and representatives of civil society.
