NIB Joins EIB EBRD and CEB in EastInvest Platform Supporting Investment in EU Eastern Border Areas

NIB Joins EIB EBRD and CEB in EastInvest Platform Supporting Investment in EU Eastern Border Areas

(IN BRIEF) Nordic Investment Bank has joined several major European financial institutions, including the European Investment Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Council of Europe Development Bank, in signing a joint declaration supporting the EU’s eastern border regions. The cooperation will focus on coordinated financing and knowledge sharing through the new EastInvest facility, a platform designed to connect project beneficiaries with financial institutions and mobilise significant investment. The initiative responds to the economic and social pressures experienced by eastern EU regions following Russia’s war against Ukraine and forms part of a broader European Commission strategy covering nine member states bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Nordic Investment Bank will support projects in its member countries aimed at strengthening resilience and improving living conditions in these regions.

(PRESS RELEASE) TALLINN, 26-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Nordic Investment Bank has joined forces with the European Investment Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Council of Europe Development Bank, and a number of national and regional promotional banks in signing a joint declaration to strengthen support for the European Union’s eastern border regions.

The participating financial institutions highlighted the significant economic, social and security challenges facing these regions as a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Reduced trade flows and lower investment activity have placed additional pressure on local economies and communities along the EU’s eastern frontier. In response, the signatories agreed to enhance cooperation through coordinated financing activities, shared expertise and long-term engagement aimed at reinforcing regional resilience.

Central to this effort is the creation of the EastInvest facility, a dedicated financing platform designed to link project beneficiaries with participating financial institutions. The initiative is expected to attract substantial levels of both public and private investment and will serve as an important mechanism for strengthening economic stability and development in the affected regions.

The EastInvest facility forms part of the European Commission’s broader strategy for EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. This framework outlines measures to address the specific economic and security challenges faced by nine EU member states located along the eastern border of the Union.

Nordic Investment Bank will contribute to the EastInvest platform by supporting financing projects in eastern border areas within its member countries, helping to address infrastructure, economic development and resilience needs.

Jeanette Vitasp, Head of Lending at Nordic Investment Bank, stated that communities in eastern border areas have been particularly affected by geopolitical tensions and instability. Through participation in EastInvest, the bank aims to direct sustainable long-term financing to projects that improve resilience and enhance quality of life in the eastern parts of its member countries.

NIB is the international financial institution of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden. The Bank finances projects that improve productivity and benefit the environment of the Nordic-Baltic region. The Bank is headquartered in Helsinki with a regional hub in Riga. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s.

For further information, please contact

Dmitri Kouznetsov, Head of Public Sector & Utilities, +358 10 618 0218, dmitri.kouznetsov@nib.int

Arild Moen, Associate Director, Communications, +358 10 618 0496, arild.moen@nib.int

SOURCE: Nordic Investment Bank