The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is participating today in the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024, hosted jointly by Chancellor Scholz and President Zelensky in Berlin on 11 and 12 June. She delivered an opening address to all participants during the opening session of the conference, in which she announced the signature of €1.4 billion in new guarantee and grant agreements to support Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction, including its energy infrastructure as part of the Ukraine Facility's Investment Framework. The President heads a delegation of several members of the College of Commissioners participating in the Conference, showcasing the EU's steadfast support to Ukraine, including on its path to the EU, as it continues to face Russia's war of aggression.
President von der Leyen is accompanied by Executive Vice-Presidents Valdis Dombrovskis and Maroš Šefčovič; Vice-President Věra Jourová; and Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, who will also participate in different thematic panel discussions.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 in Berlin brings together Heads of State or Government, Ministers, and State representatives, international organisations, and financial institutions, as well as businesses and civil society organisations, to discuss Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction under a ‘whole-of-society approach'. The Conference focuses on four thematic dimensions, including the mobilisation of the private sector for reconstruction and economic growth, the social aspects and human capital for the future of Ukraine, the recovery of municipalities and regions, as well as the EU accession and related reforms. The Ukraine Recovery Conference is an annual event that was launched in 2017 as the ‘Ukraine Reform Conference' and, since 2022, has been rebranded as a result of Russia's full-scale invasion.
In the margins of the conference, Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis will chair in the first ministerial meeting of the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform, which works to coordinate the international support for Ukraine's immediate needs, its recovery and reconstruction. It brings together representatives from Ukraine, the EU, G7 countries, as well as international financial institutions. In February 2024, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden joined it as new members; while Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland did so as observers in April 2024.
Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis will deliver an opening speech at the Ukraine Recovery Conference<https://www.urc-international.com/> for the panel discussion on ‘The future of Ukraine as an EU economic power house' and participate in the ceremony of signature agreements, while Maroš Šefčovič will do so for the panel discussion on ‘Ukraine's preparation for accession to the EU and preparing the EU for Ukraine's accession. Vice-President Jourová will deliver an opening speech on her side on the panel discussion entitled ‘Rule of law, judiciary reform and the establishment of an international compensation mechanism' and for his part, Commissioner Sinkevičius will do so in the panel focused on ‘Green recovery and European Green deal for Ukraine'.
President von der Leyen's address at the Conference is available online.
A press release, with further details on the Conference and the EU's latest support to Ukraine, will be available online this afternoon.
Details
- Publication date
- 11 June 2024
- Author
- Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations