The “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment” is an international conference organized by New Strategy Center, which will take place on 11-12 December, in Bucharest. This forum aims to provide a platform for discussion and debate on one of the most important topics in European politics, that of Ukraine’s reconstruction. The New Strategy Center wants to place a strong emphasis on the recovery of Ukraine’s southern regions, which have been severely affected by Russia’s aggression, and those regions neighboring Romania. At the same time, the conference will examine the issue of Ukraine’s reconstruction from multiple perspectives, taking into account the complexity of the process, the significant investments required, and the impact on European security.
This conference is a natural continuation of New Strategy Center’s 2023 event, “The Reconstruction of Ukraine: A Strategic Role for Romania”, focusing on those aspects of economic revitalization that are most relevant at the regional level. This reconstruction effort remains the largest such endeavor since the Second World War, promising to surpass the Marshall Plan or similar projects outside Europe. Ukraine is one of the most populous countries on the continent, and its economic prosperity within the EU represents a security pillar for all Europeans. In this puzzle, Romania plays an important role, considering its current status as a frontier state within the EU and NATO, and its reaffirmed support for Ukraine.
Our key goal is to create a platform for dialogue where all relevant stakeholders can interact fruitfully, to foster economic cooperation and business opportunities. At the same time, this conference aims to raise awareness about the importance of this endeavor, a process that has already started and must continue even before the end of the war. The Bucharest conference will explore business opportunities, the importance of human capital, and the role of regions and local communities in the recovery process. It will also address issues related to connectivity, energy, and natural resources. Additionally, the event aims to promote the strategic Romania–Ukraine–Moldova triangle, which is expected to play a fundamental role in Ukraine’s economic recovery and the reconstruction of its southern regions.
In this sense, the focus of the “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment” conference will be on cross-border cooperation, local communities, and other relevant economic aspects such as infrastructure and energy, especially in neighbouring Ukrainian oblasts: Zakarpatska, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivetska, Vinnytska, Odessa and Mykolaiv. Discussions on infrastructure will treat the geoeconomic nexus formed by Romania, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as a strategic triangle of connectivity, where the maritime element plays a crucial role. The paramount role of the Danube in logistics and connectivity is thus met by Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, giving rise to great opportunities for development and investment. Energy-wise, this triangle fits into the wider regional energy calculus in the Black Sea, where Ukraine’s energetic potential must be assessed and harmonized within the Green agenda.
The human dimension of the economic recovery is another key topic, where the reintegration of internally displaced people, refugees, and veterans into a post-war society has to be carefully navigated. Consequently, the role of Ukraine’s European partners, including Romania, in tackling the challenges of the Ukrainian labor market has to be evaluated. Our focus will naturally fall on Ukrainian regions neighboring Romania, where Romania and Moldova can play a more active role in terms of cross-border cooperation, harmonizing the interests of the business sector, local communities, and the financial instruments of the European Union. In this process, we identify the potential role of national minorities as a true catalyst for cross-border cooperation.
The conference also aims to assess the potential business opportunities for the private sector, specifically in the housing sector, healthcare, agriculture, and telecommunications. The challenges regarding funding and insurance, as well as the opportunities provided by EU financial instruments in anticipation of Ukraine’s eventual reform and accession, will be other topics of discussion.
Ukraine’s reconstruction and security in the wider Black Sea region depend on the evolution of the war and on diplomatic negotiations, which may ultimately lead to a fair peace agreement for Ukraine. Given the current status on the front, we believe that any economic plan should be embedded within wider security considerations, which is why our conference maintains a security component. In this sense, discussions will also touch on the possible military developments, the implications for the wider Black Sea region, and most importantly, the potential for cooperation related to military industry. Lessons learned from the frontlines in Ukraine are crucial for NATO and EU countries, not only from a military perspective but also in terms of developing the defense industrial base. Cooperation in this area between Ukraine and EU and NATO member states is highly important and brings benefits to all actors involved, both from a defense and economic perspective.
The “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment” Conference thus aims to bring together representatives of both the private and public sectors, complemented by the presence of renowned experts, in order to create a viable platform for meaningful dialogue. Considering our strong commitment to European security, and consequently to the Ukrainian cause, New Strategy Center aims to contribute to the conceptual effort and to a better understanding of the reconstruction process in Ukraine. A strong, democratic Ukraine, well integrated into the Euro-Atlantic space, as part of the EU and NATO, will bring greater security to Europe and will be a good neighbor for Romania. At a time when disinformation and cognitive warfare generated by Russia aim to diminish support for Ukraine across Europe, in order for Moscow to win this war, it is essential to have robust platforms for debate from which support for Ukraine can be expressed as strongly as possible.