Natural resources minister hopes for Rada's soonest ratification of agreement on Ukraine's joining in EU's Life environmental program

MOSCOW. Sept 1 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets expects the Verkhovna Rada to ratify in September an agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on joining the Life international environmental program with a budget of more than 5 billion euros through 2027, the Ukrainian media reported.

"This is a direct opportunity to fund activities aimed at the restoration and conservation of wildlife," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

"I expect the Verkhovna Rada to ratify this agreement in September, and we will be able to quicker submit our initiatives, of which there are already more than 15 today, for consideration of this program," the minister said.

As reported, Ukraine and the EU signed , on June 24 an agreement on the country's joining the Life international environmental program launched in 1992, envisaging the budget of 5.43 billion euros over 2021-2027 for the projects on environmental protection.