Giorgia Meloni addresses reporters, alongside the Ukrainian Prime Minister. /CGTN
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for an "economic miracle" in Ukraine as she hosted a conference on reconstruction for the conflict-torn country in Rome.
"What happens today in Ukraine involves all of us, it concerns all of us, for the respect that we all owe to the freedom and sovereignty of a people," said Meloni in a speech at Rome's Palazzo dei Congressi conference center. "A world in which the rule of law is replaced by the rights of the most powerful, this is a world that none of us want to have."
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She also drew parallels with Italy's history and the economic boom of the 1960s that followed mass destruction in the country during the World War II.
"Defending common values"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also joined the conference via video link.
"We know that Ukraine is going to win eventually, we know that Ukraine will have the opportunity to be a member of the European family. Now we are defending our common values in unity. Those who do not lose their strength are going to win eventually," said Zelenskyy in a speech.
In addition to that, Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shymal and around 700 officials and business delegates took part in the event in the Italian capital. Working groups focused on key areas in the effort to rebuild Ukraine, including transport networks and energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shymal speaks to reporters. /CGTN.
$400 billion to rebuild Ukraine
The World Bank's most recent calculations show the reconstruction of Ukraine will cost at least $411 billion. The organization also estimates that $14 billion will be required in the next ten months alone, to provide desperately-needed aid in areas such as housing and transport.
While the most intense fighting has now shifted to eastern parts of Ukraine, Russia has continued to hit Ukrainian cities with shelling and missile attacks. Over the winter, Russian attacks devastated Ukraine's power infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts in cities such as Kyiv.
The U.S., European Union and others condemned Moscow for "deliberate targeting" of civilian infrastructure. The Russian government denies targeting civilians in Ukraine.
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