Germany, together with international partners, has promised war-torn Ukraine extensive aid for the winter and reconstruction.

The perspective is EU membership of Ukraine.

"If we rebuild Ukraine, then we do it with the goal of Ukraine as a member of the EU in mind," said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Monday at a German-Ukrainian economic forum in Berlin.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine will create conditions for quick investments.

Exactly eight months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine defends European values, Shmyhal said.

Scholz again promised Ukraine further military aid, in particular to protect against attacks from the air.

They will support Ukraine as long as it is necessary.

In addition to causing a great deal of human suffering, the Russian war of aggression also left deep scars on the Ukrainian economy.

Economics Minister Julia Swyrydenko, who was connected via video from Ukraine, said that a 30 percent slump in gross domestic product is expected this year.

A paper by the state-owned foreign trade company Germany Trade & Invest on Ukraine states that after eight months of war, companies are fighting the decline on many fronts.

“Production facilities have been destroyed, there is a lack of skilled workers, the power supply often fails and logistics remain massively disrupted.

Important economic centers are in the occupied areas, above all the coal and steel industry and power plants.” The Ukraine is stuck in a “vicious circle” of recession and high inflation.

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) said that Russia is aiming to further destabilize Ukraine with attacks on the energy infrastructure and to drive people out of the country: "Cold apartments, no water, no electricity." Therefore, "acute winter aid" now has absolute Priority.

Ukraine needs short-term help to get through the winter.

For example, generators, transformers and network repairs.

Reconstruction as a "generational task"

In a joint guest article in the FAZ, Scholz and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke out in favor of a "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine - this is a generational task that must begin immediately.

Between 1948 and 1952, the USA financed the reconstruction in Germany and other European countries with billions of US dollars with the “Marshall Plan”.

An international alliance is planned to organize the very expensive reconstruction.

That is exactly why Scholz, together with von der Leyen, as the current President of the G7 round of the seven leading democratic economic powers, invited to an international conference of experts on the reconstruction of Ukraine on Tuesday.

Scholz emphasized Ukraine's path to the European Union, so far the country has been a candidate for accession.

The traffic infrastructure as well as the logistics and transport sector must be built in such a way that the country can be easily connected to the EU.

The prospect of accession should also be understood as a signal to private investors.

"Anyone investing in the reconstruction of Ukraine today is investing in a future EU member state that will be part of our legal community and our internal market," said Scholz.

He appealed to the Ukrainian government to further improve the framework conditions for investments.

He called for more rule of law, more transparency and an even more determined fight against corruption.

Prime Minister Shmyhal of Ukraine promised to create conditions for quick investments.

Costs in the hundreds of billions

Schmyhal estimated the cost of reconstruction at almost 750 billion US dollars (764 billion euros) - as things currently stand. He also emphasized the economic strengths of his country.

Among other things, he mentioned gas deposits, IT infrastructure and agriculture.

"We will not let Ukraine down," said Peter Adrian, President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce.

“We need clarity as soon as possible on how trade in products that are urgently needed in Ukraine can be secured.

This includes, among other things, products for everyday use, medical technology and the healthcare industry as a whole.”

Particular attention must be paid to goods for the repair of the destroyed infrastructure in the areas of energy, electricity and water supply.

In addition to acute emergency aid, a long-term perspective is also necessary, says Adrian.

To do this, Ukraine needs a resilient capital fund from the international donor community.

Deputy chairman Hans-Ulrich Engel said that many German companies were willing to get involved in reconstruction.

Preparations cannot wait until the end of the war.

Companies need a "tailor-made safety net" for investments in Ukraine.

Habeck referred to existing state instruments for export protection, and there are direct grants for this.

Engel said tenders in Ukraine had to be quick and unbureaucratic approval procedures were needed.

The implementation of EU legal standards would facilitate investments.