Ukraine Reform Conference

Following the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, Ukraine began undertaking reforms to reinforce security and democratic accountability.[2] In 2017, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman initiated the first Ukraine Reform Conference as a tool for active engagement and collaboration with international organizations and foreign countries to support and implement reforms in Ukraine.[1][2]

Switzerland hosted the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2022) in Lugano from 4–5 July 2022.[5][6][7]

The key motto of the URC2022 in Switzerland is "Reforms for All - All for Reforms." It emphasizes that a long-term success of the reforms in Ukraine depends on inclusiveness and shared responsibility among the central, regional and local authorities, private sector, academia, civil society, media and citizens themselves.[8]

The conference in Lugano will focus on the following reform priorities:[8]

• Stability (Eradicating corruption – Justice, rule of law and anti-corruption; Empowering municipalities – Decentralisation; Strengthening cohesion – Reforms for reintegration)
• Prosperity (Banking for the future – Banking and financial sector; Ensuring transparency in state-owned enterprises – Corporate governance; Going green – Green transition; Investing in people – Human capital)
• Digital transformation

The fourth Ukraine Reform Conference was originally scheduled to be held on July 7, 2020, in Vilnius, Lithuania.[9][10] However, due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference was rescheduled for 2021.[11]

Both President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky attendees. Invitees included representatives from the following countries:

as well as representatives from the European Union, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Council of Europe, the International Monetary Fund, NATO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, the European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine, and the European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine.[9]

The conference focused on developments after the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election, the ongoing War in Donbass, and policy objectives for the future.[9][12]

The third Ukraine Reform Conference was held on July 2–4, 2019 in Toronto, Canada.[2]

There was more than 800 in attendance, including delegations from 37 countries and 10 international organizations.[2] Among those in attendance included President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau,[13] as well as representatives from the following countries:

as well as representatives from NATO, Council of Europe, International Monetary Fund, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, OECD, Ukrainian World Congress, and the World Bank.[2][14]

Key agenda items included:

• Irreversibility of reforms in Ukraine
• Decentralization reform, its opportunities, efficiency, and results
• Ukraine on the path of integration into the Euro-Atlantic community
• Innovations, opportunities and investing[14][2]

The second Ukraine Reform Conference was held on June 27, 2018, in Copenhagen, Denmark.[15][16]

The conference was attended by:

Country	Representative	Position	References
Ukraine	Volodymyr Groysman	Prime Minister of Ukraine	[16][17]
Denmark(host)	Lars Løkke Rasmussen	Prime Minister of Denmark	[16][17]
Canada	Chrystia Freeland	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
Estonia	Sven Mikser	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
European Union	Federica Mogherini	High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy	[16][17]
Latvia	Edgars Rinkēvičs	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
Lithuania	Linas Antanas Linkevičius	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
Norway	Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
Sweden	Margot Wallström	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
Turkey	Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu	Minister of Foreign Affairs	[16][17]
United Kingdom	Boris Johnson	Foreign Secretary	[16][17]

As well as representatives from the United States, NATO, OECD, and other G7 and European countries.[15][16][17]

The conference focused on affirming the international partnership with and support for a free and reformed Ukraine, and topics of good governance, economic development, and objectives for 2018–2019.[16][18] Objectives included privatization of state owned enterprises, improved corporate governance, improving the business climate, land market reform, decentralization, anti-corruption, energy sector reform, infrastructure development, public administration reform and innovation and digital development.[18]

The first Ukraine Reform Conference was held on July 6, 2017, in London, United Kingdom.[19][20] The opening session was attended by Prime Minister Groysman and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.[20]

The themes of the conference were economic growth, good governance, human capital, rule of law and anti-corruption, and defense and security.[20] This conference brought together Ukraine and its international partners to strengthen support for reform and transform Ukraine into a stable, transparent, prosperous democracy which can meet its citizens' aspirations and realise its full economic potential.[19] The Government of Ukraine launched and committed itself to implement its Reform Action Plan 2017-2020.[18]

• 2014 Ukrainian revolution
• Euromaidan
• Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement
• Ukraine–NATO relations

• Official Ukraine Reform Conference 2022 Website
• Government of Ukraine's Official Ukraine Reform Conference Website
• Remarks at the 2019 Ukraine Reform Conference on YouTube:

• Remarks at the Ukraine Reform Conference (24 min 6 sec)