ECR Group First Vice-President Władysław Ortyl represented the European Committee of the Regions at the Eastern Border Regions High-Level Conference held at the European Commission.  The event that brought together EU, national and regional leaders to discuss the future of the EU’s eastern border territories, followed-up on the recent European Commission Communication on the EU’s eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. 

The conference featured keynotes by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, and Prime Ministers of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia focusing on how the border regions can enhance security, resilience and growth in the face of ongoing geopolitical instability. The event concluded with the signing of a declaration of intent to establish the new EastInvest Facility, aimed at strengthening investment and cooperation along the EU’s eastern frontier. 

As President of the Podkarpackie Region, one of the EU’s key frontline regions bordering Ukraine, Vice-President Ortyl has been among those who initiated the debate on the new challenges facing eastern border regions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He has consistently called for EU policies that better reflect the specific security, economic and social pressures faced by these territories. 

"Strengthening the security and resilience of Europe’s eastern regions is not just a regional priority; it is a strategic imperative for the entire Union. By investing in the regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, we are reinforcing Europe’s first line of stability and demonstrating that no border region stands alone", First Vice-President Ortyl said.

"I am grateful for Executive Vice-President Fitto’s unwavering commitment to the eastern border regions. We are ready to work hand‑in‑hand with the Commission to ensure this strategy delivers tangible benefits, stronger cooperation, and lasting security for our citizens", he concluded.