From 1 June Ukrainian hryvnias can be exchanged in Belgium

Ukrainian refugees registered in Belgium will be able to exchange hryvnia banknotes for euros at the counters of the National Bank and the branches of the banks involved as from 1 June. 

Thanks to an agreement between the National Bank of Belgium and the National Bank of Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees can now exchange hryvnia banknotes for euros in Belgium. ​ They can do so at the counters of the National Bank of Belgium and in the banks of Belfius, Beobank, BNP Paribas Fortis, CBC, ING, KBC and KBC Brussels.

"We see it as our humanitarian duty towards the refugees to offer this service and we are therefore pleased that thanks to our efforts, this service can now also be offered in our country," Tim Hermans, Director of the National Bank of Belgium says.

Right from the start of the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees asked to exchange their banknotes in European member states. This proved neither legally nor operationally easy. A regulation at European level was therefore not feasible. Since then, some EU Member States have looked for alternatives bilaterally. 

After Poland, Belgium is one of the first European member states to offer Ukrainian refugees the possibility to exchange their country's banknotes for euros. However, several member states have announced that they will soon follow the example of Poland and Belgium.

(AHU)

© BELGA PHOTO Nicolas Maeterlinck