This year’s international Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2025) in Rome became more than just a platform for diplomacy and official agreements.
“For me, this event became a moment of clear understanding that Ukraine’s recovery won’t happen without partnerships at the community level, without investment in people, and without honest dialogue about challenges that unite the front, rear, and future. And speaking about recovery is critically important today on all possible platforms and in all languages,” noted Iryna Kuropas, Coordinator of UNP WG2 “Economic Integration and Convergence with EU Policies,” who participated in the event.
The URC 2025 programme focused on four key areas:
▪ Business dimension — mobilising the private sector for reconstruction and economic growth,
▪ Human dimension — social reconstruction and human capital for Ukraine’s future,
▪ Local and regional dimension — reconstruction of communities and regions,
▪ EU dimension — EU accession and related reforms.
These priorities are not random — they reflect what Ukraine truly lives by today. The focus on human capital was particularly strong. It is true: we can talk about billion-dollar investments, technologies, or infrastructure projects, but without people who have knowledge, strength, and motivation — none of this will happen. Without teachers, doctors, builders, volunteers, and entrepreneurs, recovery is impossible. Social resilience, dignity, and self-belief form the foundation of every reform. At the same time, we must consider how to bring back and motivate people — both those forced to leave their homes due to war and those currently on the frontline. The success of the country’s recovery depends on everyone’s return and active participation.
Another key point is communities. This year it was clearly stated: Ukrainian communities are no longer viewed as “aid recipients.” They are partnership subjects. They are not just ready to take responsibility; they are already bearing it. These are exactly the players the world seeks today: those who know their territory, their people, and their resources. At URC, we were once again convinced: no project is implemented abstractly, as everything happens in a specific community. Where there is trust, cooperation, and competence, there are results.
It is worth emphasising that combining defence and recovery topics is no longer taboo. We all understand well: while war continues, recovery must consider the security component. Therefore, discussing investment insurance, infrastructure protection, the need to deploy defence enterprises that would enable defence now and after the war, and seeking security guarantees — this is not weakness, but strategic thinking. There is still much work here, but it is being discussed, and that is progress.
“URC 2025 also clearly demonstrated that Ukraine is a leader in the Eastern Partnership region. We do not just receive aid and fight an enemy common to all countries in the region; we are experience bearers. Now, when regional countries are under the influence of Russian narratives, Ukraine has both an opportunity and an obligation to become a point of support. We need to not only build our own resilience but also share what we have already learned: how not to lose democracy in war, how to preserve communities, implement necessary reforms, and engage people in quality changes. All this under conditions of full-scale invasion. This role demands great responsibility, but it’s confirmed at every step, and URC 2025 is a vivid example,” Iryna Kuropas emphasised.
In summary, Ukraine’s recovery is not just about government plans and donor money. It is about partnerships. And the most important partners are on the ground. In communities where life happens daily. There is both need and potential there. We must maintain this focus, because communities are becoming growth points for a new Ukraine. In this context, civil society serves as a critically important partner for both the state and communities. It ensures the link between people’s needs and decision-making, fills processes with substance, and monitors transparency and accountability. During the war, civil society organisations have proven their effectiveness in providing assistance, mobilising resources, and responding quickly to challenges. However, now civil society’s role is even broader: to be a driver of quality changes, uniting communities, the state, and business around real solutions. Without a strong, influential, professional, motivated civil sector, no recovery strategy will be complete or effective.
Information provided by Iryna Kuropas, Coordinator of UNP WG2
