CEB, EU and Italy step up support for Ukraine’s housing recovery

Gdańsk - On the occasion of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in Gdańsk, the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) signed a €100 million loan agreement with Ukraine, including a €50 million contribution from Italy to the HOME programme provided through the CEB to maximise social impact, and a €10.7 million grant agreement with the European Union.

Implemented by the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine (MDCT), the HOME programme enables people whose homes have been destroyed to obtain housing certificates to purchase or rebuild a home. The first two phases of the HOME programme leveraged €200 million in CEB loans to support more than 6 000 households with housing certificates to buy new homes - benefitting around13 000 vulnerable people. This new round of financing is expected to support up to 3 000 additional households in 2026.

We have already established an effective support mechanism for Ukrainians who lost their homes in the temporarily occupied territories due to Russian aggression. The initial phase of the program has demonstrated both high demand and tangible results: three thousand families have already purchased new housing through housing vouchers. The agreements signed within the framework of the URC serve as concrete, practical mechanisms that enable us to scale our support and provide real assistance to those who have lost their homes. I am sincerely grateful to the Council of Europe Development Bank and personally to its Governor, Carlo Monticelli, for your steadfast support, said Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

"Access to adequate housing is of essence to restoring dignity, stability and future prospects for families affected by the war. Together with our Ukrainian, European Union and Italian partners, we are scaling up support where it matters most - at household level and under strong Ukrainian ownership. These new commitments show how partnerships can translate solidarity into tangible results for families regaining a home and rebuilding their lives," said CEB Governor Carlo Monticelli.

Fulfilling a commitment made at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome in 2025, Italy's contribution of €50 million marks a new phase of cooperation between the CEB and Italy in support of Ukraine. Together with the new loan and EU grant, it builds on the successful HOME: Compensation for Destroyed Residential Properties project, bringing the CEB's total lending for the programme to €300 million and reinforcing the Bank's role as a trusted platform for high-impact social investment.

"Today marks another important milestone in our shared efforts in support of the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. I am pleased to sign the Italy-CEB Framework Agreement, which formalises our €50 million contribution to the HOME programme", Italy's Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi, said at the signing ceremony. "Rome sees strong potential for even deeper alignment to promote a truly inclusive and people-centred recovery. We stand ready to further strengthen our partnership with the CEB and look forward to continued close collaboration", she added.

In addition, a €10.7 million EU grant will strengthen the institutional capacity of the MDCT and local compensation commissions responsible for implementing the programme. It will also support the operationalisation of compensation mechanisms for rebuilding private homes and promote innovative and sustainable approaches to reconstruction, including energy-efficient building methods and solutions that enhance accessibility and affordability for vulnerable groups. These donor funds are complemented by an additional contribution for technical assistance from the CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund (USF) of over €1 million.

The CEB also signed two Joint Statements with the Ministry for Development highlighting two additional loans that were recently approved by the CEB - providing €80 million in financing for internally displaced people from temporarily occupied territory as well as €60 million to help house war veterans.

By combining financing for compensation payments with technical assistance and additional partner contributions, the CEB is helping Ukraine provide durable housing solutions while laying the foundations for a more resilient and sustainable housing sector.

Housing remains the sector most severely affected by Russia's war against Ukraine. According to the latest Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), damage to the housing sector exceeds US$61 billion and reconstruction needs are estimated at nearly US$90 billion. Nearly 14% of Ukraine's housing stock has been damaged or destroyed, affecting more than 3 million households.

Since the start of the war, the CEB has stood alongside Ukraine in supporting emergency needs and long-term recovery across the social sectors, with housing remaining a central priority.