In the Conference of Presidents (CoP) meeting held in Copenhagen in the framework of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, ECR 1st Vice-President Władysław Ortyl underlined how crucial is to "invest in defence for border regions, especially during times where we are confronted with growing threats from the East".

As Marshal of the Podkarpackie Region, a territory bordering Ukraine and facing increasing security challenges, Mr Ortyl's leadership is marked by investments in dual-use technologies. Becoming "a major hub for Western armaments and aid supply to Ukraine" the Podkarpackie region perfectly demonstrates that being resilient and adapting to new scenarios is crucial for growth and competitiveness. 

The recent developments in the war waged by Russia on Ukraine, have shown the need for preparedness and resilience for bordering regions, with the need for further investment in the areas of energy and cyber security. "The current geo-political challenges require decisive investments to make our continent energy independent. We live times of hybrid warfare; regions, especially those at the border of the Union, also need to be well-equipped when it comes to cyber security", concluded Mr Ortyl.

The Conference of Presidents anticipates the External Bureau meeting that will be held in Helsingør focusing on the themes of and security, preparedness and cybersecurity and will see the keynote speeches of the Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre. Next to 1st Vice-President Ortyl, ECR members Matteo Bianchi, Ádám Karácsony and Anna Magyar took part.