“Poland is ready to play an active role in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine by engaging in cooperation with the Ukrainian side at both the governmental, regional and local levels, as well as at the non-governmental level”, said Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Glinski, presenting Poland’s position at an international conference on Ukraine recovery.

The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2022) was held in Lugano, Switzerland, from 4-5 July. It was attended by about 1,000 delegates from more than 40 countries and representatives of about 20 international organisations.

Conference participants signed a joint declaration on the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and supported Ukraine’s European aspirations. The conference’s participants expressed their conviction that Ukraine should be supported on its “way to reconstruction and membership of the European Union”.

Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz, stressed that during the conference Poland tried to encourage the financial institutions present in Lugano to intensify their financial support. He added that the second Polish demand was to raise funds for Ukraine from the confiscation of Russian foreign exchange reserves.

“It is Russia that is responsible for the invasion, it is Russia that is responsible for the destruction and it is Russia that should first and foremost pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine”, said Przydacz, adding that Polish entrepreneurs should have the chance to benefit from this reconstruction, but from funds that would be confiscated from the Russians.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal presented a preliminary plan confirming that Poland and Italy would share in the reconstruction of the Donetsk region. He also reported that the cost of rebuilding his country is already $750 billion, with the reconstruction of infrastructure facilities alone amounting to more than $100 billion.

Adrian Andrzejewski