Summary
Switzerland participates in the fifth Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk from June 25-26, 2026. The delegation is led by Jacques Gerber, the Federal Council's delegate for Ukraine. The conference focuses on economic recovery, critical infrastructure, security capacities, and anti-corruption efforts. Switzerland initiated the conference series in 2022 in Lugano; it has since become the central international forum for Ukraine's reconstruction.
People
- Jacques Gerber (Federal Council's Delegate for Ukraine)
Topics
- Ukraine Reconstruction
- International Cooperation
- Anti-Corruption
- Science and Innovation
Clarus Lead
Switzerland positions itself as a coordinator and driving force: not only as the initiator of the URC conference series, but also as an active shaper of reform processes in Ukraine. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to expand an anti-corruption project signals that Switzerland anchors governance and institutional stability as prerequisites for sustainable reconstruction. Parallel to the conference, the first meeting of an international coalition for science and innovation takes place – a sign that reconstruction encompasses knowledge transfer and research capacities beyond material aid.
Detailed Summary
The Ukraine Recovery Conference has established itself as a coordination mechanism since its founding in 2022. The fifth edition in Gdańsk brings together priorities aimed at structural stabilization: the energy sector and critical infrastructure to protect civilians are at the center, as are strengthened security capacities. Jacques Gerber will conduct an event involving the Basel Institute for Governance and Transparency International alongside high-level panel discussions on local and regional reconstruction efforts to emphasize anti-corruption reforms.
Bilateral meetings during the conference focus on two levels: on one hand, further cooperation with the Ukrainian government on economic recovery and mobilization of the Swiss private sector. On the other, coordination with partner states via the Ukraine Donor Platform, in which Switzerland participates as an observer state. The first high-level meeting of the coalition for science, research, and innovation will anchor the Ukrainian research and innovation system internationally as a sign of solidarity through a joint declaration.
Key Messages
- Switzerland leads a delegation to the fifth URC in Gdańsk (June 25–26, 2026) and serves as the initiator of the conference series since 2022.
- Priorities are economic recovery, energy sector, critical infrastructure and security capacities, as well as anti-corruption efforts.
- A Memorandum of Understanding to expand an anti-corruption project will be signed; in parallel, the international coalition for science and innovation is launched.
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: What measurable indicators show that the previous four URC conferences have led to coordinated reconstruction? What funds were mobilized through the conferences?
Conflicts of Interest: To what extent does the Swiss private sector directly benefit from reconstruction projects coordinated at the conference? Are there transparency requirements for these participations?
Causality/Alternatives: Why is anti-corruption prioritized as a central lever for reconstruction? What alternative governance models were considered?
Feasibility/Risks: How is it ensured that anti-corruption reforms are actually implemented in a wartime context? What risks exist in coordination across multiple donor states?
Source Validity: Are the results of the coalition for science and innovation publicly documented and evaluated?
Source Directory
Primary Source: Swiss Federal Council – Statement on Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 (23.06.2026) https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/_fTUcb2TOf5QrvB3HaNDc
Supplementary Sources:
Verification Status: ✓ 23.06.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 23.06.2026