The world has united in its support for Ukraine’s resilience for as long as it takes — Oleksandr Korniienko concluded his working visit to Italy
First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko has concluded his working visit to Italy, during which he participated in the fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025).
Ahead of URC2025, the event “Kharkiv: Road to Recovery” took place in Rome, presenting key recovery initiatives for the city of Kharkiv in cooperation with national authorities, international organizations, and business representatives.
Participants — including delegates from multiple countries — discussed Ukraine’s needs in countering russian aggression, rebuilding cities, and strengthening partnerships along the path to recovery.
“It is an honor for us to present a resilient Kharkiv. The city is holding strong. It is a symbol of resistance and courage. A city of education, industry, production, and historic legacy — under constant enemy shelling,” noted First Deputy Speaker Oleksandr Korniienko.
He called on international partners to strengthen military assistance to Ukraine — particularly air defense systems — to prevent the enemy from destroying the country from the sky.
As part of the conference, a discussion titled “No Security — No Recovery” also took place. Its central theme was how Europe can support not only Ukraine’s post-war recovery, but also contribute to achieving Victory now.
“The enemy attacks Ukrainian cities every day, destroying residential neighborhoods, critical infrastructure, schools, and hospitals. And until there is a just peace, the number of facilities in need of recovery will only grow. When we talk about reconstruction, among the first priorities must be those that help stop the war and stop putin: strengthening sanctions, military assistance, and providing air defense systems,” emphasized Oleksandr Korniienko.
He also regretfully noted that Ukrainians no longer react with surprise to air raid sirens or nightly missile attacks — they have even learned to anticipate them.
“This is a terrible experience and a terrible skill. Yet we all continue to persevere — standing firm for our country, for European values and the security of the continent, for a successful future free from russian aggression,” the Deputy Speaker emphasized.
The URC2025 Conference was dedicated to both the immediate and long-term recovery of Ukraine. Governments, international organizations, financial institutions, businesses, regions, local communities, and civil society united in a shared commitment to support Ukraine’s resilience for as long as it takes
The conference gathered participants from over 30 countries and hundreds of companies. The main thematic areas included:
- Business dimension – mobilization of the private sector
- Human dimension – social recovery and development of human capital
- Local and regional dimension – support for municipalities and regions
- European dimension – Ukraine’s integration into the EU and related reforms
During the opening of the Conference, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that intercepting russian drones and missiles remains the primary security priority. He urged all international partners to increase investments to avoid any funding gaps in drone production.
“URC2025 has brought together global leaders and business representatives from Ukraine, Europe, the United States, and other countries. New cooperation agreements are being signed here,” stated Oleksandr Korniienko.
As part of the conference, Oleksandr Korniienko participated in a panel dedicated to Ukraine’s European integration. The central topic was the acceleration of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
“Ukraine is a functioning democracy. We have committed to the Copenhagen criteria and will adhere to them. Over 80% of Ukrainians support European integration, including accelerated accession,” the Deputy Speaker noted.
He emphasized that the rapid implementation of EU directives will pose a challenge for the Parliament, but it is entirely achievable — particularly due to the strong cooperation between the European Commission, the Government, and the Parliament, which has already proven to be effective. Korniienko also highlighted Ukraine’s unique practice of involving Members of Parliament in working groups during negotiations, which will further contribute to accelerating the country’s EU integration process.
It is worth noting that within the framework of the Ukraine Recovery Conference, a dedicated exhibition area was set up to showcase each region of Ukraine. Participants had the opportunity to explore in detail the consequences of russian attacks, planned regional development projects, and the unique identity of every part of the country.
“I met with representatives of White Star Real Estate, a company actively supporting the Bucha community. First and foremost, I thanked them for their attention and support. We also discussed key priorities for future cooperation — what is needed on the ground,” said Oleksandr Korniienko.
According to him, new agreements were signed directly at these regional stands, along with memoranda of cooperation.
Ukrainian businesses also had the opportunity to present their own innovations and advanced solutions. “What we see here is a demonstration of Ukrainian resilience and determination — the readiness to keep working and doing everything possible for a successful country with thriving cities,” the First Deputy Speaker emphasized.
Oleksandr Korniienko expressed gratitude to Italy for hosting the Conference and supporting Ukraine’s recovery, to the international community for their assistance, and to the resilient Ukrainian people for their unwavering strength.