The Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company (Ukrzaliznytsia) will receive grants totaling EUR 54 million. Poland will invest in roads and railways, as well as in the development of Ukrainian-Polish border crossings. The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) and the Ukrainian Reconstruction Consortium signed a memorandum that provides for the development of Ukrainian ports... Although the transport sector was not the main focus of URC 2025, these announcements were all made during the two-day event.
This year's conference took place in Rome from 10 to 11 July. It was the latest in a series of international conferences dedicated to Ukraine's reconstruction, following those in Lugano (2022), London (2023), and Berlin (2024). More than 4,000 people attended this year's conference, including heads of state and government from over 100 countries, as well as representatives of international organizations.
An important announcement on the creation of the European Flagship Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine was made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to von der Leyen, the fund’s initial partners include France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the European Investment Bank. The fund is expected to channel investments into Ukraine’s critical recovery sectors.
The participants in the event discussed the development of the defense sector, Ukrainian technologies and dual-use innovation for global security, the restoration of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, investing in energy resilience, etc. A workshop on "Bridging Europe: Ukraine's Path to Transport Integration" was also held. Panel discussions during the third session focused on modern infrastructure as a path to recovery.
The Center for Transport Strategies (CFTS) has identified several transport-related decisions and statements made at the Rome conference.
The USPA and the Ukrainian Consortium for Reconstruction signed a partnership memorandum for the restoration and development of Ukraine’s port industry.
The primary benefits of the memorandum include the potential involvement of leading Italian and European companies in the reconstruction of ports, the development of "smart" port systems with automated cargo handling, the integration of Ukrainian ports into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), support in securing access to financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank, and various European funds, the development of partnerships with European ports, and the implementation of environmentally sustainable technologies.
The memorandum provides for cooperation in the following areas: adoption of international standards and advanced technologies; implementation of joint infrastructure projects; establishment of partnerships between Ukrainian and Italian ports; financial and technical partnerships; development of innovative, environmentally friendly transportation solutions; promotion of sustainable recovery of the port industry; consultations on improving and harmonizing Ukraine’s maritime legislation with EU, IMO, and UNCTAD standards; and sharing of experience.
The USPA signed cooperation memoranda with Italian port authorities.
During the second day of the conference in Rome, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) announced that it had signed memoranda of cooperation with the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port Authority and the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority.
The former manages the ports of Trieste and Monfalcone. The Port of Trieste is one of the largest cargo ports in Italy and a key element of the TEN-T. It is actively implementing digital solutions and has deep-water infrastructure.
The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority unites the ports of Genoa, Savona, Pra', and Vado Ligure.
The memoranda provide for the development of long-term partnerships, the sharing of best practices, support for the digital transformation of Ukrainian ports, and the strengthening of Ukrainian ports' integration into the European logistics network.
"These memorandums open up new opportunities for digitization and the implementation of modern logistics solutions, as well as the adaptation of ports to new challenges. This is another step towards integration into the European logistics space — through concrete cooperation, training, and investment," said Oleksandr Semirha, head of the USPA.
The Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkSATSE) signed a memorandum of cooperation with two Italian technology partners: the aerospace equipment manufacturer Leonardo S.p.A. and the air navigation service provider ENAV S.p.A.
This document is an important step in the joint effort to restore and modernize Ukraine’s air traffic control system as part of the Ukraine Air Traffic Management Restoration and Recovery Plan (UARRP).
According to Andrii Yarmak, the head of UkSATSE, two additional agreements were signed alongside the memorandum. These agreements provide for the donation of five en-route primary radar systems and associated equipment to UkSATSE. The systems are expected to play a significant role in restoring Ukraine’s surveillance capabilities and enabling a phased reopening of its airspace for civil operations.
Poland will invest in roads, railways, and the development of border crossings with Ukraine.
Viktor Dovhan, a former Ukrainian deputy minister of infrastructure, announced this on the sidelines of the conference. This was reflected in the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between Poland’s Industrial Development Agency (ARP) and Ukraine’s State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure. The document provides for joint efforts to identify and implement various projects, including infrastructure projects.
"The signing of this agreement represents an important step towards practical cooperation between Poland and Ukraine,” said Wojciech Balczun, president of the ARP. "Operating within the framework of the Polish Development Fund Group, the ARP has the experience and tools to support Polish entrepreneurs in participating in reconstruction projects. We want Polish companies to become genuine partners in rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure, industry, and energy sector. This is an opportunity for Ukraine’s recovery and for strengthening Poland’s economic position in the region."
In comments to the CFTS, Dovhan, who currently advises the Polish construction giant Budimex, explained that these national agencies reached this agreement because the Poles want to speed up the implementation of reconstruction projects. To avoid the establishment of contacts between individual firms, they decided to establish a working group to submit ready-made projects to the governments of both countries within three months for financing approval.
Funding is expected to be provided through the Ukraine Facility mechanism, using loans from the Polish national development bank, BGK.
"The Poles are candid about their interest in making profits. That is why the emphasis is on practical implementation — they will not consider raw projects. The goal is to begin implementing one or two projects before the next recovery conference, which will take place in Warsaw next year. We definitely have time to hold a tender for one road and one railway project," said Dovhan. He added that Polish companies are interested in highways in western Ukraine, the Mostyska-Sknyliv European-gauge railway, and border crossings between Poland and Ukraine.
The former deputy minister of infrastructure also noted that while Polish firms will understandably participate in BGK-funded tenders, Ukrainian subcontractors will most likely carry out at least 50% of the work because the Polish side is unlikely to be willing to send personnel and equipment to Ukraine due to security concerns. As a result, Dovhan believes that both sides will definitely benefit because Ukraine will gain new infrastructure and access to concessional financing.
Other statements related to the transport sector in one way or another were also made at the Rome conference. One such statement was the announcement of a new bilateral agreement on cooperation with Switzerland regarding reconstruction efforts. The Swiss government considers the reconstruction of Ukraine as a strategic priority and plans to allocate CHF 5 billion (EUR 4.8 billion) for it by 2036. The agreement provides for the provision of non-refundable financial and technical assistance to purchase goods and services from Swiss companies in various sectors, including transportation and mobility.
Ukraine and the Netherlands also signed a memorandum on the provision of additional financing (EUR 30 million) under the Ukraine Partnership Facility program. This memorandum is expected to enable Dutch companies to participate more actively in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts in areas in which they have experience, such as water supply, healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy. The memorandum also provides for the development of ports, among other things.
In total, the number of agreements signed during the 2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome is estimated to be in the hundreds. "Over 200 different agreements worth more than EUR 10 billion, a new European support package worth more than EUR 2 billion, a Finnish reconstruction-focused program worth more than EUR 300 million, a Dutch package worth EUR 30 million..." President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said, summing up the first day of the conference.
Now, all that remains is to hope that all these commitments will quickly materialize from memoranda into tangible projects on the ground.
