The panel was led by Mr. Adam Eberhardt, Deputy Director of the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw, Poland. The speakers were: Mr. Radu Oprea, Special Envoy for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Head of the Chancellery of the Romanian Prime Minister; Ms. Yulia Sirko, First Deputy Head of the Transport & Infrastructure Committee in Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada; Mr. Davide La Cecilia, Special Envoy for Ukraine’s Reconstruction from Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (via video conference); Mr. Bogdan Zawadewicz, Director of the Geopolitical Risk Analysis Office at BGK Bank, Poland; and Mr. Bogdan Cernescu, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Banking at Romanian Commercial Bank – BCR, Romania.

Since 2022, the war in Ukraine has caused economic damages estimated at over $500 billion. When including the regions under Russian occupation, the total value of destruction exceeds $700 billion. In this context, the reconstruction process must not become a ground for rivalry among allied states, but rather a collective effort rooted in solidarity and international coordination. Beyond the direct economic impact, Ukraine is facing a labour shortage of approximately 5 million workers—an issue that necessitates legislative reforms and public policies aimed at repatriating and attracting the workforce. Moreover, access to sustainable financing is critical, especially given an interest rate nearing 20%. Therefore, it is essential to establish a strong international institutional framework capable of providing the necessary guarantees to attract private capital into Ukraine.

Watch the live sessions on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/Ylk9fImjYeM?feature=share