Ukraine Launches Carpathian Eight Cooperation Format

Ukraine launched the Carpathian Eight (C8), a new regional cooperation format bringing together eight European countries at a founding summit in Bukovel, on Friday, Sept. 18, in western Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region.The initiative was announced during the first session of the three-day C8 Summit, which runs through Sunday. EU representatives, local authorities, businesses and investors are also taking part.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.What is the C8?The C8 format includes Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary.EU institutions are also participating in the initiative, which is designed to connect governments, regional administrations, businesses and communities across the wider Carpathian region.The organizers present C8 as a platform for security cooperation, economic development, investment and cross-border projects rather than as a new military alliance.The summit’s official program includes discussions on regional security, energy resilience, industrial cooperation, transport corridors, agriculture, tourism and cultural ties. More than 500 business representatives and international investors have been invited.“Another strong element of EU interaction”President Volodymyr Zelensky said the summit marked the first time that all Carpathian countries had gathered in Ukraine’s part of the region.“We are launching a new C8 format – the Carpathian Eight – uniting us and our neighbors in Europe: Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and, of course, the European Union as a whole,” Zelensky said in a statement published on his official Telegram channel. Other Topics of Interest ‘Waiting for Death’: Russian-Occupied Oleshky Faces Starvation as Russia Blocks Aid and Evacuation Gardens are emptying, shops are shut and evacuation routes are mined as thousands remain trapped across the Dnipro from Kherson. He said the initiative should create “another strong element of interaction at the EU level,” focusing on security, energy, expanded logistics, cross-border economic cooperation and support for local communities.Zelensky welcomed the presidents of Romania and Serbia, the prime minister of Poland and representatives of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria. Hungarian representatives were expected to join the summit later, according to state media Ukrinform.Vucic highlights transport linksSerbian President Aleksandar Vučić attended the summit at Zelensky’s invitation. He said Serbia could cooperate with Romania, Hungary, Ukraine and Poland on transport and infrastructure.“We have much to offer – from railway lines and roads to more open borders,” Vučić said.He also said cooperation could include agriculture and other sectors, adding that his participation aimed to preserve stability and peace for Serbia and its citizens.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s participation comes amid growing concern over Russian hybrid threats against NATO’s eastern flank. Before traveling to Ukraine, Tusk warned that Russia could use drones or missiles in attacks designed to test the alliance’s unity.$10.7B in projects presentedThe summit’s investment program includes 90 projects totaling $10.7 billion, according to the official C8 Summit website.The largest share consists of 33 energy projects worth about $7.28 billion. The proposed portfolio also includes transport and logistics projects worth about $1.05 billion, 17 industrial projects valued at about $782 million, and initiatives in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and technology.The summit is scheduled to continue through Sunday, with further discussions on industrial cooperation, energy security, transport corridors, agricultural value chains and tourism. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.