Italy Hosts Ukraine Recovery Summit Amid U.S. Aid Doubts

Italy opened the fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference today, hosted by Premier Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to foster public-private partnerships in defense, energy, mining, and infrastructure, despite escalating Russian attacks and uncertainty over U.S. military support. Held at Rome’s “Cloud” conference center, the event draws 100 official delegations, 40 international organizations, and 2,000 businesses and civil society representatives.

The conference aims to pair international investors with Ukrainian counterparts to modernize Ukraine and support its EU accession reforms, with the World Bank estimating a $524 billion recovery cost over a decade. Italy announced a 30-million-euro deal for Odesa’s children’s hospital and a penitentiary cooperation agreement. Unlike past conferences in Lugano, London, and Berlin, this event focuses on specific sectors, offering workshops on “de-risking” investments and panels on rare earth minerals and pharmaceuticals, said Ukrainian-British businessman Alexander Temerko.

Amid Russia’s intensified drone and ground assaults, doubts linger over U.S. commitment, with President Trump’s administration pausing some weapons deliveries. A “coalition of the willing,” discussed via videoconference with leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, hinges on U.S. military backing, which remains unconfirmed. Kurt Volker urged Meloni to back a coordinating agency for sustained recovery leadership.

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