The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and the banking system have joined the National Barrier-Free Week, held for the first time in Ukraine 19 May through 25 May 2025 as part of the Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine initiated by the First Lady, Olena Zelenska.
Ukraine’s financial sector employs more than 200,000 Ukrainians and serves more than 30 million customers. Therefore, every Ukrainian is either involved in the financial system or is its customer. Many of them are defending Ukraine as service officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and more than 1 million have the status of a war veteran.
“Even before the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian banks began transitioning to creating an inclusive financial sector. In response to wartime challenges, this movement became more systemic and comprehensive. Supporting veterans is a large-scale national task and the foundation of the state doctrine of Ukraine, a country of heroes that cultivates a culture of honoring heroes, veterans, and their effective, most comfortable, and fast reintegration into social and economic life,” said Andriy Pyshnyy, NBU Governor. “The strength of the banking sector is in unity around common values, whether it is creating solutions for rebuilding Ukraine’s energy sector or combating misuse of payment infrastructure to protect the country from losing its resources, or maintaining the great momentum of reforms crucial for the EU integration. Supporting military personnel and veterans is one of the key unifying issues for the banking system. This is not about one-time campaigns, but a comprehensive long-term support strategy fostering a new inclusive culture of interaction based on humanity, dignity, and equality that brought together the regulator and banks.”
NBU’s actions to promote barrier-free access
- Financial inclusion is a key priority in the NBU’s Strategy and the Strategy of Ukrainian Financial Sector Development and is being implemented through a range of targeted initiatives and actions set out in these documents.
- The NBU and EBRD signed a Memorandum that stipulates a nationwide holistic approach to the economic inclusion of war veterans and their families as workers in the financial sector and the real economy and as users of financial services. A significant component of this cooperation in line with the Memorandum is the Charter for the Financial Inclusion and Reintegration of Veterans in Ukraine that has already been joined by 38 banks.
- Guidelines have been developed on the rules for inclusive financial services in Ukrainian institutions that provide for zero tolerance to any form of discrimination against consumers on social, physical, functional, or any other grounds, ensuring physical accessibility of premises and equipment, proper remote service and barrier-free procedures when establishing business relations and providing financial services, especially to veterans.
- Inclusivity requirements have been developed, and banks and non-bank financial institutions have been obliged to make at least 50% of their branches physically and informationally accessible, including for veterans. Banks and non-bank financial institutions must ensure physical accessibility of their branches by 8 August 2025, and enable remote electronic service channels by 8 May 2026.
- Recommendations have been issued for employing financial institutions and a toolkit for the development of financial inclusion and reintegration of war veterans in Ukraine explaining how financial institutions can implement veteran-friendly practices and improve infrastructure to ease access for people with disabilities (including introducing the position of a veteran affairs officer at the company level, flexible working conditions, mental health support, specialized onboarding processes, etc.).
- A scoring model for assessing veteran-friendly financial institutions has been developed, which includes a description of the processes recommended for implementation and self-assessment and monitoring tools for managing veteran initiatives, and enables international donors, including the EBRD, to better identify the needs for supporting financial institutions to create a comfortable environment for veterans.
- A law has been drafted to introduce a new banking entity — a financially inclusive bank with a limited banking license — that will help address the issue of access to financial services for the public, including military personnel, veterans, and businesses in small towns, de-occupied and frontline areas (the relevant draft law is currently under consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine).
- The NBU being a responsible employer is drafting an internal program to support veterans that provides for priority employment, additional days of vacation, onboarding and mental support, the introduction of the position of a social initiatives and inclusive programs officer, etc.
Banks’ actions for reintegrating veterans
Banks’ efforts to reintegrate veterans are systematic and include both programs for quick and high-quality reintegration into the working environment and civilian life, as well as practical programs for active involvement of veterans in the economy, new activities, and entrepreneurship. This includes both financial and non-financial support for the service personnel and veterans.
Thus, the banks’ programs for reintegrating veterans focus on the following key areas (this is a non-exhaustive list of programs and services available at individual banks based on a survey of the 30 largest banks; detailed information is available on the banks’ websites):
1. Support for mobilized colleagues for the time of their military service:
- direct financial and non-financial assistance to mobilized employees like salary retention for the period of service; monthly financial assistance; financial support to families of the military, the dead and missing; humanitarian and legal assistance
- assistance to the combat units in which employees are serving, including the purchase of equipment, gear, ammunition; volunteer initiatives and donor campaigns among employees; and partnership purchases for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (medical equipment, drones, cars, etc.)
2. Returning to work and civilian life:
- special attention to veterans — introducing a coordinator or person responsible for addressing the issues regarding veterans; programs for adapting demobilized employees; approval of internal support policies; introducing inclusive workplaces
- mental health and legal support — free mental health counseling, including individual counseling, mental health support programs; legal support
- flexible working conditions for veterans — the possibility of remote or hybrid work mode, additional paid leaves
- rehabilitation of veterans — funding medical services at leading rehabilitation centers, including Superhumans Center; sponsoring veteran rehabilitation hubs in communities; supporting cultural projects (Veterans Theater, barrier-free cultural space for veterans “KYT” at the Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNG), the Veteran Culture Festival “Kolo Veteraniv”, etc.)
- support for veteran communities — internal communication channels for sharing experience and support, social and cultural initiatives involving veterans
3. Creating tailored banking products:
- free access to specific services: premium packages, cards with cashback, discounts, free servicing; preferential terms on deposits and loans; priority servicing in branches
- charity — mechanisms for collecting donations through bank branches and mobile apps, cooperation with military units and charitable foundations, etc.
4. Developing veteran entrepreneurship:
- educational projects — business schools for defenders, veterans, and their families; online courses in financial literacy, marketing, and digital skills; educational partnerships with NGOs, platforms, and ministries
- access to preferential funding — preferential lending for business start-ups; grant programs for veterans and their families; business development support programs
5. Creating a barrier-free environment:
- physical accessibility of the infrastructure — adapting branches for people with reduced mobility (ramps, signs, Braille signs); mobile branches in remote, frontline, and de-occupied territories
- digital inclusion — adapting products, websites, and mobile apps, for the needs of veterans in particular.
Signing the Memorandum of Cooperation between the NBU and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine
On 20 May 2025, the National Bank of Ukraine held a regular working meeting of the NBU top management and 30 largest Ukrainian banks to discuss the topic of barrier-free financial sector.
Natalia Kalmykova, the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, attended the meeting and spoke about the key areas of state veterans policy, where support from the banking sector plays an important role.
In particular, the discussion was about implementing the Veteran Policy Strategy 2030, introducing physical and mental rehabilitation standards, supporting programs that help veterans find new professions and return to active life (setting up veteran spaces, supporting the digital infrastructure, modernizing the rehabilitation system, and professional reorientation of veterans, etc.).
The meeting participants paid special attention to further cooperation. To consolidate efforts for creating an inclusive financial environment, NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy and Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Natalia Kalmykova signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
The purpose of the Memorandum is to conduct joint multidisciplinary activities for reintegrating and adapting war veterans to civilian life, creating opportunities for professional success of veterans in the financial sector, and raising awareness of Ukrainian financial sector employees and veterans and their families about government programs for supporting veterans, women veterans, and persons with disabilities caused by the war.
“We are grateful to the National Bank of Ukraine for its leadership and consolidation of efforts of the entire banking sector to increase the level of financial inclusion, ensure barrier-free access to financial services, and create tools that facilitate the complete economic reintegration of veterans. It is not just about access to banking products, but it is about dignity and an opportunity for everyone who defended the country to fulfill their potential in civilian life. This approach is an important part of the modern government veteran policy focused on sustainability, development, and equal opportunities. We must remember that where veterans win, the whole country wins. Veterans who have the support and prospects are leaders of change and drivers of the economy and society as a whole,” commented Natalia Kalmykova, the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, on the signing of the Memorandum.