Italy Hosts Ukraine Recovery Conference Amid Ongoing War and Uncertainty Over U.S. Support

Italy Hosts Ukraine Recovery Conference Amid Ongoing War and Uncertainty Over U.S. Support

Last Updated Jul - 10 - 2025, 06:02 PM | Source : Fela News

As Russia intensifies attacks, Italy’s Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome gathers global leaders, investors, and businesses to boost public-private partnership

Italy is hosting the fourth annual Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, even as Russia intensifies its military offensive. The event, held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, brings together political leaders and business representatives to encourage public-private collaboration in rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy. Areas of focus include defense, mining, energy, and other critical sectors. The gathering comes amid growing uncertainty over continued U.S. support for Kyiv.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opened the conference, which takes place as Russia escalates air and ground attacks, including a record wave of drone strikes across ten Ukrainian regions. Organisers say the event has drawn 100 official delegations, 40 international organisations and development banks, and around 2,000 representatives from businesses, civil society, and Ukrainian local governments. The event is being held at the modern “Cloud” conference center in Rome’s EUR district.

The primary aim is to connect international investors with Ukrainian partners to develop projects that not only rebuild but modernise the country and align it with European Union standards. On the eve of the conference, Italy announced several initiatives, including a justice cooperation deal and a €30 million credit-backed project to expand and equip a new wing at Odesa’s children’s hospital.

Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, senior research fellow at Rome’s Institute for Studies of International Politics (ISPI), noted that discussing reconstruction amid ongoing conflict might seem counterintuitive but is in fact an urgent necessity. This year’s conference builds on previous editions in Lugano (2022), London (2023), and Berlin (2024), with Rome continuing the focus on business development, human capital, local governance, and EU-aligned reforms.

Ms. Ambrosetti highlighted that the conference provides a rare opportunity to witness public-private partnerships in action, as private sector funding is essential to complement limited public resources. The World Bank, European Commission, and the UN estimate Ukraine’s reconstruction needs will cost around $524 billion (506 billion euros) over the next decade.

Ukrainian-British businessman Alexander Temerko emphasized that the Rome conference stands apart by centering on specific industries like energy, transport, mining, and metallurgy, rather than general discussions. The programme includes workshops on investment risk management and panels on sectors such as rare earth minerals, pharmaceuticals, and domestic defense production.

Former U.S. diplomat Kurt Volker stated that the conference could succeed if Prime Minister Meloni supports the creation of a coordination body to sustain momentum and provide political leadership in Ukraine’s recovery. He stressed that with a ceasefire in place, Ukraine could achieve double-digit economic growth—but such a vision requires focused economic planning.

Besides Meloni and Zelenskyy, the conference is attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, among other European ministers. French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not attend in person but joined a videoconference with other leaders from the so-called “coalition of the willing”—a group of countries ready to deploy troops to enforce a future peace agreement in Ukraine.

Retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, acting as Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, was also present and held talks with Zelenskyy in Rome.

The coalition’s success, however, depends heavily on backing from the United States. Although Trump has not formally committed to providing military support, he recently stated that the U.S. would need to send more weapons to Ukraine. This followed frustration within his administration over a temporary pause in arms deliveries, which he felt had been poorly coordinated with the White House, according to sources familiar with the matter.

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