The restoration of Ukraine is not only what we must do after our victory, but also what needs to be done right now, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a traditional video message on Monday evening.

"Today was a long and very important day of our foreign policy activity. A conference devoted to the recovery of Ukraine started in Lugano, Switzerland. I want to point out right away that when they talk about recovery, they often put the emphasis incorrectly. It is not only about what we should do after our victory or in the following years, but also about what we need to do right now," he said.

He recalled that the Ukrainian forces liberated more than a thousand settlements from the occupiers. All of them have experienced massive destruction. "And this also means the need for colossal funds for the restoration of infrastructure, for the return of medicine and social services, for the restoration of normal economic life, " Zelensky said.

"And we also need to prepare schools and universities for the new academic year in the entire free territory of the country and in new conditions of constant threat, in particular missile strikes... We must already prepare for the winter and do everything so that we pass this winter calmly from the point of view of energy despite the threats Russia creates every day," he noted.

According to him, "a significant part of the economy has been destroyed by hostilities and Russian strikes, thousands of enterprises are out of business. And this means a high need for jobs, for ensuring social benefits despite the decrease in tax revenues. "

"That is why the recovery of Ukraine is not only about what needs to be done later, after our victory, but also about what needs to be done at this time. And we have to do it together with our partners, with the entire democratic world. Do now, " the president stressed.