The first economic summit of the Carpathian Integration Initiative (CII), which will take place this September and will feature representatives from the eight countries that host the Carpathian Mountains, will bring together over 500 business representatives from various countries, according to the Ukrainian presidential website on Thursday.
“I thank the leaders who have already personally confirmed their participation to me. These are countries that have the Carpathians. This was our initiative. I am very proud that even during the war we found such a dimension. It is about the economy, security, the environment, and investment. We will also invite some guests and business representatives from the Middle East to discuss investment in the Carpathians,” the Head of State said.
According to the President, it is important to begin preparing for the event now and work to attract investment during it.
“It is very important that not only leaders meet. That is no longer enough. Leaders give the summit political weight, but it is very important for communities from these countries to meet directly. Because communities also attract business. Communities know what is happening on the ground. A leader knows their country, but a local community still knows the main challenges on the ground,” the President said.
According to Zelenskyy, the summit is expected to include the signing of agreements, investment arrangements, and the exchange of experience in security, energy protection, and food security – areas in which partners want to learn from Ukraine.
The President met with representatives of all mountain territorial communities of Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Chernivtsi, and Zakarpattia regions in Ivano-Frankivsk at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to discuss issues requiring immediate resolution.
Zelenskyy emphasized that relocation, particularly the relocation of businesses and industrial production from the temporarily occupied territories, is an important factor in the development of the Carpathian region.
As reported, the Carpathian Initiative, which unites 44 regions from eight countries and aims to strengthen horizontal ties and boost community capacity, may hold a summit of cities and regions within the framework of the Carpathian Initiative this fall in Truskavets, Lviv region.
The Carpathian Initiative, modeled on the Danube and Alpine Initiatives, is already gaining support from European institutions. In 2025, the EU Committee of the Regions included a section on promoting the integration of the Carpathian regions in its updated 10-point support package for Ukraine.
