Berlin, 25 October 2022: The EU Commission and Germany as holder of the G7 Presidency are hosting an expert conference in Berlin on the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The conference brings together renowned experts from various international organisations, governments, think-tanks and academic institutions as well as representatives of civil society and the business community.
The International Expert Conference aims to demonstrate that the international community remains united and determined in its advocacy for Ukraine and will continue to assist the country beyond its immediate needs, which includes supporting it in its efforts to join the EU.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is also in Berlin.
In a speech broadcast live by video at the beginning of the conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasised: “Ukraine and the EU are united and this will not change.” Ukraine was defending its sovereignty and freedom, he said, and in doing so it was also standing up for European security.
Russia’s war against Ukraine, which was in violation of international law, had already caused many hundreds of billions of euros worth of damage, and the destruction was immeasurable, said Scholz. “Ukraine is not alone in this war, however. It can rely on the support of the international community,” said the Federal Chancellor in his opening speech.
EU Commission President von der Leyen described the reconstruction as a “colossal undertaking”. “We see President Putin targeting civilian infrastructure to paralyse Ukraine and terrorise its people,” she said.
The global community has been providing support for Ukraine for several months. The G7 states, the European Union and its members have raised over 35 billion euros in emergency aid alone to date.
Together with the G7 partners and the EU and with the support of the international organisations as well as Ukraine itself, a basis is to be created for an inclusive and transparent donor platform through which the reconstruction process is to be coordinated, the Federal Chancellor explained.