Zelensky launches new 'Carpathian Eight' format; Tusk and Vučić attend first summit, Fico stays away
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a new regional cooperation initiative called the 'Carpathian Eight,' whose first summit opened in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico skipped the meeting despite earlier saying he planned to visit Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has unveiled a new international cooperation initiative called the 'Carpathian Eight,' or C8. The format brings together Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Austria and Hungary, along with the European Union as a whole.
According to Zelensky, the initiative aims to unite states, regions and local communities across the Carpathian region, with planned cooperation covering security, energy, logistics and cross-border economic issues.
First summit held in Ivano-Frankivsk
The first C8 summit opened on September 18 in Ukraine's Ivano-Frankivsk region. Participants include Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Romanian President Nicușor Dan.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who had said a day earlier that he intended to visit Ukraine, did not attend. According to the Ukrainian outlet European Pravda, Slovakia is instead represented at the summit at a lower diplomatic level.
Deals worth a billion euros expected
Around 550 business representatives are also taking part in the summit. Zelensky said investment and trade agreements worth a billion euros are expected to be signed before it concludes.
