WASHINGTON (Reuters] -U.S. Treasury secretary Janet Yellen stated Tuesday that multilateral development banks will be urged to channel net funding to help countries affected by food insecurity resulting from the Ukraine conflict.

In prepared remarks, Yellen stated to the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee that she would ask banks, including the World Bank, to improve ways of addressing food security.

She stated that the International Monetary Fund and other international financial institutions will be crucial in helping to address the spillovers of the Ukraine conflict, which are increasing economic vulnerability in many countries affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Yellen explained that “the IMF, World Bank and EBRD will be crucial partners in rebuilding Ukraine. Along with bilateral donors, they will also provide vital support for neighboring countries hosting refugees.”

IMF provided $1.45 billion to Ukraine in quick financing, and the World Bank provided $490 million of financing. These are both part of a larger $3 billion package that is being implemented in the next months. The initial package of 2 billion euros was provided by the EBRD for Ukraine.

Yellen claimed that the assistance provided Ukraine with fiscal room to pay soldiers, doctors and nurses as well meeting its external debt obligation.

“These were admirable acts to credibility by a country under siege,” she stated.

Yellen also stated that multilateral development banks must promote energy efficiency, capital investments and diversification away from oil-fuel-based sources of energy such as Russia.

She claimed that the Biden government was asking Congress for authorization to fund IMF lending facilities to vulnerable and poor countries, the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust and IMF Resilience and Sustainability Trust.