Ursula von der Leyen – 2022 Closing Remarks at the International Expert Conference on the Recovery, Reconstruction and Modernisation of Ukraine

The closing remarks made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 25 October 2022.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This was an excellent conference and I really thank you for all the contributions, all the wisdom, all the expertise that you brought to the table. The main message of the day for me today is that Ukraine has everything it takes for a successful reconstruction. It has determination; it has a vibrant civil society; many friends around the globe who want to support – this was visible today; and an impressively resilient economic base despite this atrocious war – for example the Ukrainian banking sector or the IT sector.

For me, dear Denys, the level of digitalisation that you have in Ukraine is always impressive. Listen to this: After Estonia, Ukraine is probably the most digitised country in Europe – and that is something. This really allows public services to function despite the war. And this is our daily experience in the Commission when we work together with you: You have a functioning administration despite a war around you. This is basically because you are so much digitised. I do not want to reflect on the topics that we have mentioned this morning in the welcome addresses anymore. But allow me to focus on a few takeaways from today’s discussion.

The first one is: Give ownership to the locals, creating trust in the reconstruction process. It was interesting for me to hear that the original Marshall Plan was successful because independent experts were embedded into ministries. They ensure transparency over key decisions. And we know money cannot solve everything, you need the right institutions. So scrutiny is not only needed to ensure good governance but also – and that was interesting for me – to monitor the influence of donors. And Ukraine’s civil society is well equipped to take over this role.

My second takeaway: To tap into the full power of Ukraine’s human capital and to accelerate the green and the digital transition, there should be continuity of decentralisation. Because the regions and the municipalities are also economic powerhouses. This decentralisation, together with the necessary judicial and anti-corruption reforms, would of course also facilitate private investment across the country.

The third point: Reconstruction linked with a dynamic EU accession process can function as a catalyst, as it was said here today, for necessary reforms and at the same time – and this is certainly true – as a strong motivator to implement these reforms. Because there is a goal you want to go to and therefore you understand why you have to do these reforms.

The fourth point, which is self-explanatory, a new Marshall Plan for Ukraine has to match the European Green Deal. This is the opportunity to leapfrog into a modern, competitive and sustainable economy.

I like the fifth point that I came across: Donors’ coordination should prevail over donors’ competition. And the better the reconstruction plan is explained, the easier it is for donors to contribute.

Finally, today, and that is absolutely clear, we saw that we will be in this for a long time. Support fatigue might be a challenge. But one participant brought up an interesting counter-argument, it is about the importance of communication. She mentioned that politics cannot and should not be separated from the reconstruction process.

Putin’s brutality is causing tremendous suffering and destruction in Ukraine. But at the same time, these ruthless deeds are backfiring. People’s disgust with Putin is a powerful recruiter for Ukraine’s rehabilitation efforts. It fuels the new Marshall Plan. And Denys, I must say that, when I listened to you this morning, I was again really moved and touched by the pictures, the videos you showed us. This is the reality on the ground that you are experiencing every day. But when you see it again, it really touches you. And the way President Zelenskyy and you are communicating to the public is contributing a lot to keep Ukraine on top of the world’s agenda and to mobilise lasting support for your country on the world stage. And Ukraine deserves it.

Slava Ukraini.