KIEV, May 12 – Ukraine has officially joined the European program to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of small and medium businesses (COSME, 2014-2020) with a total budget of EUR2.3 billion, according to the Economic Development and Trade Ministry.

"Ukraine's participation in COSME is the next step in the process of Ukrainian economic integration with the EU and the symbol of increasing the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) as a driver of the Ukrainian economy," Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Yulia Klymenko said.