President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel visited Italy on July 9 and 10. The main item on the agenda was his speech at the International Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine in Rome.

In his address, President Pavel called for coordinated efforts in support of Ukraine’s planned reconstruction. He emphasized that supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression is only part of the story. It is in the interest of Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Europe to implement a recovery plan with ambitions comparable to the Marshall Plan of the 1940s.

Its purpose will be to stabilize and modernize Ukraine’s economy, increase the attractiveness of the Ukrainian business environment for partners, motivate and facilitate the return of war refugees, and support the country’s European integration. The President presented 11 key points he considers crucial for the success of the reconstruction plan.

photo: Zuzana Bönisch