On May 12, 2025, an event “On the Way to URC 2025” was held in Verona, Italy, which is an important stage of preparation for the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2025), which will be held in July in Rome.
The event, which was dedicated to the role of regions and communities in the reconstruction of Ukraine, brought together representatives of the governments of Ukraine and EU countries, international organizations, local governments, civil society and business.
The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba. It also included First Deputy Minister Aliona Shkrum, Deputy Minister Oleksii Riabykin and Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction and Infrastructure Development Serhii Sukhomlyn.
The partner country Italy was represented by the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Antonio Tajani, the Italy’s Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Davide La Cecilia, the President of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) Matteo Zoppas, and the Mayor of Verona Damiano Tommasi.
The conference program included four discussion panels dedicated to the regional and local dimensions of the Ukraine Recovery Conference, the involvement of the private sector in the development of services, and sustainable recovery. One of the sessions was dedicated to international partnerships that support and develop Ukrainian communities and regions.
In his welcoming speech, Oleksii Kuleba thanked the partner country Italy for its constant and consistent support for Ukraine, in particular for helping Ukrainian citizens who temporarily found protection on the territory of the partner country, for community twinning, increasing the volume of support in the humanitarian and energy sectors, and military assistance.
He also emphasized that Ukraine appreciates all the efforts that Italy is making in matters of sustainable and just peace in Ukraine.
“For Ukrainians, for Europe, for the entire civilized world, the issue of establishing a just and lasting peace is in the first place today. Ukraine lives every day under shelling, constant attacks by shaheds, with destruction. And despite this, our communities and regions are being restored. Ukraine is being rebuilt right now, without waiting for the end of the war. And this is unprecedented. In Ukraine, they say: valuable is the help that comes when it is really needed. And it was Italy that became one of those countries that lent a shoulder to our state in the most difficult times. Italy was and remains a reliable partner in the defense and energy sectors, and of course in reconstruction. Today’s event is an important step on the way to URC 2025 in Rome. We want this conference to be the beginning of new long-term partnerships, new investment decisions and a new policy, based on respect for what Ukraine has already done and a willingness to move forward together,” said Oleksii Kuleba.
He also emphasized that Ukraine is a reliable partner for the countries of the world today, as it has a huge experience in implementing energy solutions, sustainable operation of logistics infrastructure, business and industry, and implementation of development projects in conditions of full-scale war.
In turn, Antonio Tajani emphasized that Italy intends to play a leading role in rebuilding the economy of Ukraine, in particular in restoring its production infrastructure. He also confirmed the unwavering support of Ukraine and the readiness of the Italian government to cooperate with international partners to achieve a just and lasting peace.
He emphasized that Ukraine and Italy are working fruitfully to best prepare for the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will be held in Rome in July.
The results of the pre-conference will become part of the joint position that Ukraine will present at URC 2025. It is communities, in partnership with the state, business and the international community, that shape the future of reconstruction – from actions on the ground to strategic decisions at the global level.
