Rome is –barring any unforeseen circumstances– the last stop of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ international visits for this summer. The Prime Minister travels to the Italian capital to participate today in the Conference for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, co-organized by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Conference, which is the fourth in the series, bringing together leaders, international financial institutions, development banks, international organizations, businesses and civil society representatives, focuses on ways to support the country’s recovery and reconstruction, finding and mobilizing financial resources, and strengthening private sector participation in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Mitsotakis: Goal is participation of Greek companies in Ukraine reconstruction projects – Focus on Odessa
Kyriakos Mitsotakis has already expressed Greece’s interest and that of Greek companies to participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction projects, particularly in Odessa and in the infrastructure and energy sectors, a message he is expected to reiterate according to sources. His associates remind that during his participation in the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit on June 11 in Odessa, he had proposed the creation of a new connectivity corridor linking Alexandroupoli, Varna, Constanta and extending to Odessa.
As he had noted, “a program that could be proposed for funding by the European Union would include transport, railways, electricity, natural gas, pipelines and would be a project that would provide an additional connectivity corridor for Ukraine, much faster than sea freight transport.” Yesterday, during her hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kimberly Guilfoyle showed support for this project. “If confirmed (as US Ambassador to Athens), I will work with Greece to commercially leverage investments in key natural gas pipelines, such as the so-called ‘Vertical Corridor’ connecting Greece with Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Central Europe,” she stated characteristically.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis has already clearly conveyed that Greece will continue to support Ukraine, as it has from the beginning, diplomatically, politically, economically, militarily, and humanitarianly. He has also maintained that only Ukraine must and will decide on accepting or rejecting any peace formula, while pushing for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as a first step toward a just and sustainable peace.
Regarding the next day, after peace in Ukraine, which is moreover a common will in Europe, Greece has particular interest in developing business prospects and synergies in the country across a range of strategically important sectors, such as construction, transport, renewable energy sources, pharmaceuticals and medical sector, new technologies, research and innovation.
