On Thursday 25 May in Brussels, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine organised a joint workshop entitled ‘Putting the Lugano Principles into Action: Strengthening the Role of Local and Regional Governments in Ukraine’s Recovery and Reconstruction Process, and on the Road to EU Membership’.
The CoR has adopted recommendations (https://aeur.eu/f/731 ) which focus in particular on boosting decentralisation reform in order to reflect it in Ukraine’s overall reconstruction architecture and on the country’s path towards EU membership.
In a video message, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, stressed that the continent of Europe was “united” in order to “protect our fundamental values”. He felt that Russia was threatening Ukraine and the European way of life. He welcomed the cooperation between the regions to help Ukraine.
This event was organised in cooperation with the European Commission, the OECD, the Ukrainian government, the British government and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
On 21 and 22 June 2023, the United Kingdom and Ukraine will host the international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in London (see EUROPE 13173/26). One of the issues that will be discussed concerns the granting, at national or multilateral level, of public guarantees to cover the war risk to companies wishing to invest in Ukraine. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)