Zelensky launches Carpathian Eight summit, meets youth from partner countries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hosted the first summit of the Carpathian Eight (C8) in the Ivano-Frankivsk region on 19 September, launching a Carpathian integration initiative. The summit, which brought together representatives of Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, and Serbia, included an economic forum featuring a joint investment portfolio of 95 projects worth roughly 40 billion euros. Zelensky also met with about 250 young participants in a Youth Congress, where discussions covered regional relations with Poland and Hungary, conditions for Ukrainians displaced by the war to return home, and housing support programs.
Key points
- First summit of the Carpathian Eight (C8) took place in Ivano-Frankivsk region; a Carpathian Integration Initiative was launched.
- C8 comprises Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, and Serbia.
- A joint investment portfolio of 95 projects worth approximately 40 billion euros was presented at the Carpathian Economic Forum.
- Zelensky met with about 250 youth representatives from C8 countries at a Youth Congress.
- Zelensky stressed creating more political and people-to-people connections with Hungary.
- Zelensky said the decision for displaced Ukrainians to return is personal and tied to security, jobs, business conditions, and housing.
- Zelensky asked the Cabinet of Ministers to more actively communicate preferential state housing programs for students, young families, military personnel, veterans and their families.
Why it matters
The summit establishes a new multilateral format for Central and Eastern European cooperation centred on the Carpathian region, pairing a substantial cross-border investment agenda with youth and people-to-people engagement. By tying the regional diplomacy effort to domestic priorities — the return of Ukrainians displaced by the war and housing support — Kyiv is using the C8 platform to advance both foreign and domestic policy goals. The emphasis on building bridges with Hungary in particular signals an effort to ease one of the more difficult bilateral relationships in the region.
What happened
President Volodymyr Zelensky hosted the first summit of the Carpathian Eight (C8) in the Ivano-Frankivsk region on 19 September, launching the Carpathian Integration Initiative. The format brings together Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, and Serbia. At the Carpathian Economic Forum, C8 representatives presented a joint investment portfolio of 95 projects worth approximately 40 billion euros. Zelensky thanked leaders of the C8 countries, business representatives, and Carpathian communities for their participation, projects, and agreements, and pledged that Ukraine would engage additional forces and capabilities to support cross-border community cooperation. On the margins of the summit, Zelensky met about 250 young participants from C8 countries at a Youth Congress. Discussions covered relations with Poland and Hungary, with Zelensky stressing the need to create more political and people-to-people connections with Hungary. Participants also discussed the return of young Ukrainians who left because of the war; Zelensky said the decision to return is personal and identified security, economic opportunities, jobs, and conditions for doing business as key conditions. He called on the Cabinet of Ministers to communicate more actively the existing preferential state housing programs for students, young families, military personnel, veterans, and their families.
Background
The Carpathian Eight (C8) groups Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, and Serbia. The first summit combined an economic forum, where a joint investment portfolio of 95 projects worth around 40 billion euros was presented, with a Youth Congress attended by roughly 250 young participants from the Carpathian regions of the participating countries. Zelensky cited specific challenges facing the Carpathian region, including mountain communities and infrastructure, social issues, and environmental concerns. The Youth Congress discussions were set against the backdrop of Ukrainians who left the country because of the war, with return framed as tied to security, jobs, business conditions, and housing.