Intended to mobilise international support for Ukraine’s recovery, the Conference gathered more than five thousand participants, including more than 50 high-level delegations from various countries across the globe, international organisations, EU institutions, and representatives of the business sector, local authorities, and non-governmental organisations.

The participants held discussions focusing on five major thematic dimensions: business, social, local and regional, EU, and security and defence.

On Ukraine’s EU membership

Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski took part in a panel discussion inaugurating the EU dimension of the Conference, pointing out that the historic opening of formal EU accession negotiations with Ukraine on 15 June must be followed by genuine efforts towards compliance with the Union’s law, principles, and standards.

In fact these are not negotiations but the candidates’ adoption of the European Union’s acquis and their adaptation to the rules of the club they are looking to join

Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski said.

A discussion moderated by Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum, brought together, alongside Poland’s chief diplomat, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. The panel addressed the necessary reforms that Ukraine must undertake on its path to integration, particularly as regards the rule of law and the fight against corruption, as well as integration with the single market, energy transition, and public administration reform.

Bilateral meetings

The Conference provided opportunities for bilateral meetings between Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski and partners from all over the world to enhance economic and diplomatic relations, among others with Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov of Azerbaijan and Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashimy of the United Arab Emirates. Minister Sikorski discussed bilateral cooperation, supporting Ukraine, and the importance of the US–Iran deal for the region’s stability and the future of the Persian Gulf states.

The head of Polish diplomacy also met with his UK counterpart, Yvette Cooper, for talks on the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East and preparations ahead of the Ankara NATO summit.

Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski also met with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, underscoring the need to maintain European solidarity in supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.