Ukrainian minister outlines conditions for Ukraine resuming flights

This was reported by Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister of Community and Territorial Development, Oleksii Kuleba, according to Suspilne.

From the moment the decision is made, it will take approximately 45–50 days to launch flights in Lviv or Boryspil, he said. However, ensuring passenger safety is a critically important condition.

"The security architecture requires very serious air defense systems, which are currently being used as intended in the country. Therefore, when we have sufficient air defense for a particular airport, we will be able to discuss it. Unfortunately, as of now, this is not feasible," Kuleba stated.

According to him, realistically, the resumption of flights can only be considered with regard to the situation on the front line: "Like all other issues concerning the development of our country, the front comes first, and only then any other development."

Reopening of airports in Ukraine

It was previously reported that Mustafa Levent Bilgen, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Ukraine, is ready to advocate for the reopening of Lviv Airport.

On January 18, Deputy Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Rostyslav Shurma, stated that Ukraine is making significant efforts to restore air connections with Kyiv and Lviv, which were disrupted by the onset of the full-scale war in February 2022.

Later, it became known that Ukraine had begun negotiations with U.S. and EU regulators regarding the reopening of airports. At the same time, Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise noted that airspace would reopen immediately after the end of hostilities and Ukraine's victory.

On May 2, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that sufficient air defense systems, including F-16 aircraft, would allow Ukraine to reopen Lviv Airport.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force mentioned that a functioning airport in Lviv could become a potential target for Russia, emphasizing the need to consider all possible risks before reopening.