Ukrainian President convened on Friday in Bukovel the leaders of eight neighboring or nearby countries to inaugurate an unprecedented cooperation framework, named “Carpathian Eight.” The meeting resulted in several concrete announcements, including Poland’s accession to an antimissile coalition and the release of €3.3 billion in European support for Kyiv.
It was at the Bukovel ski resort, in western Ukraine, that Volodymyr Zelensky chose to welcome on Friday representatives from Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary. The European Union also participated in the discussions. This first summit of the “Carpathian Eight” aimed to formalize regional cooperation around security, energy, logistics, and cross-border economic exchanges.
The gathering brings together countries with very different stances regarding the conflict. Poland and Romania are among Kyiv’s most consistent supporters, while Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia have refused to deliver arms to Ukraine. Zelensky described this meeting as a “significant start” of a dynamic intended to “strengthen ties between our countries and create a new solid element of cooperation at the European level.”
The Ukrainian president emphasized the strategic role of this geographic area: “The Carpathian macro-region has become one of the most reliable foundations of our defense. It is a force that exists and will continue to exist.” About 550 business representatives were expected on the sidelines of the summit, with the signing of commercial and investment agreements valued at one billion euros, notably concerning energy, logistics, and infrastructure.
At the very moment the forum opened, Zelensky announced the release of €3.3 billion from an EU financial support program, intended to strengthen Ukrainian defense capabilities, notably for the purchase of missiles and drones.
One of the most notable announcements came from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who confirmed his country’s accession to a ballistic antimissile coalition formed last July around Ukraine and nine other European states. This framework provides for the joint development of a new air defense system, presented as a less costly alternative to the American Patriot system. “From today, Poland is part of this great project,” Tusk said, adding that a new “significant aid package” for Ukraine was being prepared, without specifying its content. “No one will change my opinion: Poland must support Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression,” he affirmed.
Zelensky thanked Warsaw for this renewed commitment, considering that the two countries share “a common enemy.” The summit took place as Russian nighttime strikes hit several Ukrainian regions on Thursday night into Friday, causing fires, deaths, and injuries. The threat of sabotage, cyberattacks, and drone intrusions into NATO territory also forms a worrying backdrop for the countries gathered in Bukovel.
