On September 24 in Venice, the first meeting of the newly established Advisory Council on Housing Finance for cooperation and assistance in developing reforms and recommendations for effective housing finance mechanisms in Ukraine took place.
The Council was established by order of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine on 19 September 2025, and will become a permanent consultative and advisory body. Its main functions will include: preparing proposals for the development of mortgage lending, lease-to-own schemes, and social rental housing; providing analytical support for the implementation of instruments such as securitization, covered bonds, and guarantee schemes; adapting international experience and implementing European standards in Ukraine’s housing policy; developing strategic recommendations for the government and parliament.
Establishment of the Council is an important step in response to one of the key challenges that has escalated during the full-scale war: the shortage of affordable housing for millions of Ukrainians. Its task is to develop effective financial mechanisms and strategic recommendations that will enable the state, together with international partners, to systematically solve housing issues, ensure the transparency and sustainability of housing programs, in particular the development of mortgage financing, and attract investment in the sector’s recovery.
Advisory Council includes representatives of the government, international financial institutions, the banking sector, and leading experts, including:
- Andrii Teliupa, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, Co-Chair of the Council
- Luca Bertalot, Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation (EMF-ECBC), Co-Chair of the Council
- representatives of the EBRD, OECD, UNECE, JP Morgan, Barclays, LBBW, Helaba, and JHF
- international experts and scholars from leading European universities.
“Advisory Council on Housing Finance in Ukraine is not just a platform for exchanging ideas. It is an institutional mechanism that allows us to combine the best international practices with the unique needs of the Ukrainian market. In particular, in the context of post-war reconstruction, energy efficiency, and the integration of internally displaced persons. We are not copying other models, but creating our own Ukrainian system that will be transparent, sustainable, and people-oriented. I’m grateful to our international partners, who supported our initiative from the very beginning, continue to share their expertise, and work with us on building the financial architecture. All this will provide millions of Ukrainians with access to affordable housing and ensure the rapid development of Ukraine’s financial market.” — noted Andrii Teliupa, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, Co-Chair of the Advisory Council, in his welcoming speech.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be appointed co-head of the advisory council. in the Council, we are gathering the critical market insights & intelligence, developing best practices to support the post-war reconstruction. The Council’s reflections will help in designing a road map for a strategic alignment with the European financial sector’s best practices, building a solid investors basis for a new economic recovery paradigm for the housing sector. Housing and labour markets are pillars for boosting citizens’ dignity, economic growth, and hope for a better future.” – emphasized Luca Bertalot, Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation (EMF-ECBC), Co-Chair of the Council
In his opening remarks, Ievgen Metsger, Chairman of Management Board at UFHC, emphasized: ” UFHC is a young institution that has already demonstrated results. Today, it is important for us to reach a new level, learn from the world, adopt best practices, and work with international partners to build a fair and sustainable housing finance system. Our task is not only to provide mortgage loans, but also to develop rules and standards for the entire market.”
The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine emphasizes that the establishment of the Advisory Council is part of a broader government strategy to create a modern, sustainable, and fair housing finance system that will serve as the foundation for Ukraine’s post-war recovery.
