Sweden, Lithuania, Canada, and Ukraine Launch Transport Support Fund: Details & Photos

February 19, 2026, Stockholm. While some are accustomed to counting losses in billions and planning reconstruction over decades, others are learning to count faster—in months and specific kilometers of roads. On February 16-17, the Fourth High-Level Dialogue on Transport in Ukraine took place in the Swedish capital.

Representatives from over 20 countries and international organizations participated, including Ukraine’s Ministry for Communities and Territories Development. The event was organized by the Government of Sweden in partnership with the International Transport Forum (ITF) under the auspices of the Common Interest Group for Ukraine (CIG4U).

The main event was the signing of the Agreement to establish the Ukraine Transport Support Fund. The signatories were Ukraine, Sweden, Lithuania, and Canada. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson personally joined the Dialogue.

From the Ukrainian side, the agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Oleksii Kuleba. According to the ministry’s press service, he delivered a welcome address and explained the rationale behind this new mechanism.

Stark Numbers That Demand Attention

Kuleba reminded attendees of the grim statistics: since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has launched over 4,700 strikes on railway infrastructure alone. In total, there have been tens of thousands of attacks on transport facilities.

“Russia is systematically trying to paralyze transport, just as it targets energy, water, and heating. This is deliberate terror against civilian logistics and people. Yet, despite the attacks, transport keeps moving,”

he stated.

The Fund is precisely designed to ensure transport continues to function. This isn’t about mega-projects spanning decades, but rather small and medium-sized restoration projects for civilian transport infrastructure. The Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine has been designated as the Fund’s beneficiary. Simply put: money will flow where it is needed most, right now.

What Will Be Financed

The agreement clearly defines the scope: road, rail, and water transport, urban mobility, and related infrastructure. In essence, everything that keeps the country moving—both literally and figuratively. Deputy Minister Serhii Derkach, who headed the Ukrainian delegation in Stockholm, presented Ukraine’s experience operating under wartime conditions and constant attacks.

His key message:

“Resilience is built on swift decisions, digitalization, coordination across all levels of government, and partnership with the international community. The launch of the Ukraine Transport Support Fund is a practical tool that will enable rapid responses to the sector’s needs and kickstart concrete restoration projects.”

Additionally, a ministerial roundtable was held where the Ukrainian side presented specific projects for potential financing. Representatives from partner countries focused on how to attract international support most effectively.

Who Else Is On Board

Five more countries—Denmark, Germany, Norway, Estonia, and the United Kingdom—joined the Joint Declaration supporting Ukraine and its transport sector. The document endorses the decision to launch the Fund. Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba expressed hope that the circle of participants will expand during the International Transport Forum Summit in Leipzig and at the Ukraine Recovery Conference later this year.

The Cost and Next Steps

To grasp the scale, one only needs to look at the RDNA4 assessment. Direct damages to Ukraine’s transport sector amount to $36 billion*. Economic losses add another $46 billion*. Total recovery needs over the next decade are estimated at $77 billion*. An updated RDNA5 report is expected at the end of February 2026—and the figures will likely be even higher.

But behind these billions, the core truth must not be forgotten: transport is the circulatory system of the economy. Without it, factories halt, people cannot travel, and goods cannot be delivered. Every bridge repaired on time, every railway track restored, is not just infrastructure—it’s a return to normal life.

What This Fund Delivers in Practice

Looking at it constructively, the new mechanism offers several clear advantages.

First, speed. Small and medium projects don’t require years of approvals. They can be launched here and now, addressing specific needs—a bombed-out crossing gets patched up, traffic is restored.

Second, focus on priorities. The Ministry for Communities, as the beneficiary, will channel funds where they are critically needed, not where the loudest requests come from. This minimizes the risk of spreading resources too thin.

Third, expanding the donor base. A functioning mechanism makes it easier for others to join. The five-nation declaration is just the beginning. Leipzig and the Recovery Conference promise to be pivotal.

Fourth, transparency. A targeted fund with clear rules is easier to oversee than ad-hoc tranches. Oversight builds trust. And trust attracts more funding.

In Lieu of an Afterword

Some might call what happened in Stockholm “just another international initiative.” In reality, it’s a qualitative shift: instead of one-off donations for a specific crisis, a permanently functioning mechanism is being created. Ukraine is receiving not just a fish, but a fishing rod. More precisely, a whole toolkit to repair that rod.

Sweden, Lithuania, Canada, and the nations joining the declaration—Denmark, Germany, Norway, Estonia, and the UK—have demonstrated their commitment to working systematically, not just reactively. Now the ball is in our court. We need to fill the Fund, launch pilot projects, and prove the mechanism works. The best thanks to our partners are roads repaired on time, carrying freight, and restored bridges carrying trains. Here and now, not in some distant, “bright” future.

By the way, for those who may have forgotten: the updated RDNA5 report will be presented in late February. The numbers there will likely be even larger. But now we have the tool to deal with those numbers. And that, in itself, is a victory.

*Note: Figures in US dollars are based on the NBU exchange rate as of February 19, 2026. This conversion is for reference only. For current calculations, please use the currency converter.