The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2025 in Rome emphasised the central role of local and regional authorities in Ukraine’s recovery, promoting a whole-of-society approach. Over 400 mayors, councillors, and regional leaders participated—more than half from Ukraine—highlighting how local communities and leadership are essential for rebuilding the country, with support from European and international partners.

Discussions stressed that Ukraine’s recovery depends on strong, democratic, and accountable governance at all levels, with local self-government proving vital to resilience during the war. Ukrainian municipalities have already led reconstruction efforts through initiatives such as underground hospitals, protected energy systems, intermunicipal cooperation, and safe learning shelters.

The conference dedicated a full programme section to local governance, featuring seven panels with around 60 speakers and hundreds of participants. The key takeaway was that effective reconstruction requires strong local governance working in synergy with the private sector and civil society.

The analysis also considers the preparatory phase, particularly the Verona conference (May 2025), and reflects on panel discussions to propose operational recommendations and a roadmap for future recovery efforts. The document will be further refined following a capitalisation event in Lviv (November 2025) and will support knowledge transfer ahead of the 2026 conference in Poland.

Finally, the local and regional dimension of the conference was supported by several institutional partners, including the European Committee of the Regions, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, and Italian institutions such as ANCI and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, alongside initiatives like U-LEAD with Europe and the Coalition of Sustainable Cities.