Welcome
“United in Defence. United in Recovery. Stronger together” – jointly tackling reconstruction in Ukraine
Ukraine Recovery Conference - family photo, © AA / photothek.net
On 11 and 12 June, Germany and Ukraine are co-hosting this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference. More than 2000 participants from more than 60 countries will meet in Berlin to discuss how to further support Ukraine as the country rebuilds.
For more than two years, Russia has been waging an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine that is inflicting great suffering and causing devastating damage to civilian infrastructure. Using bombs and drones, Russia is reducing power plants, DIY stores, residential buildings, schools and hospitals to rubble. Germany and many other countries around the world are standing firmly by Ukraine’s side as it rebuilds.
Foreign Minister Baerbock commented as follows:
Every day Ukrainian men and women defend their country against brutal Russian attacks, which are targeted against the country’s lifelines. Whether in the trenches and barracks, in Parliament, in the workplace or in football clubs: the courage and resilience shown by the Ukrainian people are impressive. They are rebuilding their country stone by stone despite the constant Russian missile attacks. Ukraine is with great determination also defending our free European way of life. As it does, we continue to provide Ukraine with extensive support with economic, humanitarian and political assistance, and by delivering urgently needed weapons.
Placing a focus on networking between policymakers, the business sector and civil society
By promoting networking between the more than 2000 participants from politics, business, civil society and municipalities, long-term agreements and international initiatives are to be created, such as in the areas of business development and the training of skilled workers. For example, the conference will see the launch of a new forum for cooperation, the Skills Alliance for Ukraine, of an international platform for action focusing on a “Green recovery” in Ukraine, and an alliance of small and medium-sized enterprises. Many more agreements on cooperation are to be signed, as well.
The private sector is playing an especially important role in the reconstruction effort. More than 600 representatives from Ukrainian, German and international companies in, among others, the energy, health, logistics and armament sectors, as well as representatives of municipalities and from civil society, will showcase their activities during the Recovery Forum event. For the first time, the Ukraine Recovery Conference will also focus on social and societal reconstruction – issues such as vocational training, health and participation – as well as on the reconstruction of communities and regions.
The future of Ukraine in the EU
Emphasis is also being placed on the reforms Ukraine must necessarily undergo to successfully join the EU soon. In some 30 panel discussions, participants will discuss these wide-ranging topics under the heading of “United in Defence. United in Recovery. Stronger together.”
As the German Foreign Minister has said:
We are pulling out all the stops so that Ukraine can soon take a seat alongside us at the table of our European Union. Because, in addition to our military support, that’s the best protection there is. Together with numerous partners from the fields of politics, business, civil society and municipalities, we want to use the Ukraine Recovery Conference to do everything we can to support Ukraine on its path of reform and reconstruction. Our joint message is clear: we stand firmly by Ukraine and are supporting it with all our might - for as long as it needs us. For a free and peaceful Ukraine within our European Union.
This conference in Berlin is the third Recovery Conference since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In July 2022, the participants met in Lugano, where they agreed on the guiding principles for reconstruction. These state that the recovery process should be reform-oriented, transparent, democratic and sustainable. At the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London in 2023, emphasis was placed on mobilising the private sector. In 2025, Italy will co-host the conference together with Ukraine.
Roughly one-third each of conference participants are from governments and international organisations, the business community, and civil society, municipalities and the regions. Ukraine and Germany are co-organisers of the conference. The hosts will be Federal Chancellor Scholz and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development have jointly prepared the event.
The conference programme and live stream link can be found here: www.urc-international.com .