In preparation for the International Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine, which will take place in Rome this coming July, the role of regions and local authorities is emerging ever more clearly as a strategic element. The reconstruction of Ukraine must be a shared, multi-level, and locally rooted process—one that promotes not only infrastructure rebuilding but also social cohesion, sustainability, and growth. That’s why the experiences and best practices of local governments and communities will be absolutely strategic.
This was stated by Barbara Zilli, Regional Councillor for Finance of Friuli Venezia Giulia, who participated in the event “On the Road to Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 – The Local and Regional Dimension”, organized by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The event organized in Verona, which also saw the participation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, Ukrainian Minister for Recovery and Development of Communities and Territories Oleksij Kuleba and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, allows sharing experiences and skills of Italian, Ukrainian and international local authorities to develop successful reconstruction strategies, also through the launch of new partnerships, for the agenda of the July Conference on Ukraine's recovery.
On the sidelines of the event, Zilli met with Odessa Region Governor Oleg Kiper to consolidate a collaboration already in progress and discuss the potential for developing Ukrainian territories. The conversation focused on institutional friendship and the ability of Italy’s port system and businesses to seize new opportunities.
“We are working,” Zilli announced, “with the Odessa Region to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, which will be formalized in the coming months by Governor Massimiliano Fedriga, in order to build a stable bridge between Friuli Venezia Giulia and a renewing Ukraine — promoting commercial, economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation. In Friuli Venezia Giulia,” the councillor explained in her address, “we’ve created a virtuous ecosystem that tightly integrates public and private sectors in the delivery of services to citizens. From healthcare to vocational training, from digital infrastructure to smart transport systems, private sector involvement has been a key lever for efficiency, innovation, and economic sustainability.”
Zilli highlighted two sectors in particular as examples of successful public-private partnerships:
“In logistics and port development, the Trieste-Monfalcone port is now Italy’s leading rail-connected port, with strong attention to environmental sustainability.”
