Ukraine launches Carpathian Initiative with eight Central European nations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine will launch a Carpathian Initiative in the autumn, bringing together eight countries – Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Austria and Serbia. The cooperation aims to coordinate economic, security and logistical interests, with future plans for cultural and tourism collaboration. Zelensky said the initiative reflects a shared belief in Ukraine’s path to peace and reconstruction, even as he noted that prospects for a negotiated end to the war with Russia remain slim this year.

The proposal was reported by Reuters and cited by regional outlets, emphasizing that the participating states will work on joint humanitarian, defence and economic projects, though specific timelines for implementation have not yet been set.