Nearly 5,000 Gather in Rome as Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 Opens
The fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2025) has officially opened in Rome, drawing close to 5,000 participants, including top political leaders, business representatives, and civil society actors from around the world.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukrinform.
Co-hosted by the governments of Ukraine and Italy, the two-day forum aims to advance Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction, reform agenda, and European integration.
According to organizers, the conference has brought together nearly 100 government delegations and over 40 delegations from international organizations, including financial institutions.
Among the keynote speakers are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
URC 2025 is structured around four key pillars: mobilizing the private sector for reconstruction and growth; supporting social recovery and human capital development; rebuilding local communities and regions; and driving reforms tied to Ukraine’s path toward EU membership.
A separate thematic focus will highlight the protection and restoration of cultural heritage in conflict-affected areas.
The conference also serves as a platform for a wide range of side events, including bilateral meetings and business-to-business engagements.
Around 2,000 enterprises, regional officials, and NGO representatives are participating. Ukrainian ministers began their official program a day early, holding talks with international counterparts and attending preparatory events.
The opening day will conclude with the launch of a Ukrainian cultural exhibition at Rome’s Museum of Civilizations, attended by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and the culture ministers of both nations.
Over 500 journalists have been accredited to cover the event, underlining its global significance.
Since its inception in 2022, the Ukraine Recovery Conference has become the leading international forum for coordinating support for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Previous meetings were held in Lugano, London, and Berlin.
Read more on The Gaze: Ukraine’s Reconstruction: A Test of Western Resolve and Domestic Reform