Alona Lebedieva Calls for Clearer Focus on Military and Economic Support at URC-2025

KYIV, UKRAINE, July 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The fourth international Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2025) took place in Rome, bringing together nearly 5,000 participants — from governments and international financial institutions to businesses and civil society organizations. The event focused on mobilizing resources for Ukraine’s reconstruction and establishing a new financial architecture to support the country’s long-term economic recovery.

Among the key announcements, the European Commission introduced the European Flagship Fund for Ukraine’s recovery with an initial €220 million and plans to increase it to €500 million. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) presented a new Ukraine FIRST fund, while the World Bank launched the five-year PREPARE Ukraine program.

However, some experts note that many of these initiatives involve reallocated resources rather than new funding. For example, the widely cited €2.38 billion from the European Commission primarily consists of credit guarantees linked to the Ukraine Facility, rather than direct investment or grants.

"There remains a significant gap between declared figures and actual financial commitments," says Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian industrial-investment group Aurum Group. She highlights inconsistencies in public statements by Ukrainian officials, with First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko referring to €11 billion in commitments, while then-Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko cited only $2.4 billion. “This suggests the need for clearer coordination and transparency regarding available resources,” Lebedieva adds.

The conference also saw the launch of the BraveTech EU initiative, with €50 million in co-financing from Ukraine and the EU to support defense technologies and innovation. Additional programs included grants for Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) and an expansion of the STEP IN 2 EU program for small businesses.

At the same time, several critical topics — such as the integration of internally displaced persons and the development of a skilled workforce for reconstruction — received limited attention in practical terms.

Lebedieva notes that while international solidarity remains important, the focus must remain on ensuring sufficient military and financial support to secure Ukraine’s victory. “Pledges of long-term support must be backed by clear budgets, timelines, and implementation mechanisms,” she says.

She also emphasizes the importance of domestic reforms rooted in real institutional capacity and economic resilience. “Ukraine requires reforms that strengthen the foundations of national security and economic self-reliance, rather than those designed to meet donor expectations,” Lebedieva states.

Without such foundations, she argues, reconstruction risks becoming superficial — masking deeper structural challenges, including persistent corruption risks and economic dependency. Sustainable development, in her view, will depend not only on external assistance but on Ukraine’s ability to build strong institutions, foster open competition, and ensure a transparent business environment.

Alona Lebedieva
Aurum Group
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