In Ukraine, the first summit of Carpathian states has been held, at which President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the launch of a new cooperation format called the “Carpathian Eight” (C8). According to the head of state, the platform brings together eight participants — regions and communities of the neighboring countries of the Carpathian region — and is intended to become a tool for bringing states closer together and solving common tasks. RBC-Ukraine reports this, citing the president's statement.
What is the “Carpathian Eight”
The C8 format is positioned not as a classic interstate alliance with a rigid charter, but as a new platform for interaction at the regional and local community level. Zelensky emphasized that the summit is being held on Ukrainian territory for the first time and that the creation of the alliance should form “yet another strong element of interaction” within the European space. Thus, Kyiv is betting on subnational and regional-level cooperation as a complement to existing political and military mechanisms.
Priorities: security, energy, logistics
The president's statement lists the key areas of work for the format: ensuring security, developing the energy sector, significantly expanding logistics and cross-border economic cooperation, as well as substantial support for local communities. Zelensky called the launch of C8 “a serious start to the movement,” which, in his assessment, should bring the participating countries even closer together and create a sustainable framework for joint projects amid ongoing challenges for the region.
Context: negotiations with the US and the position on China
The announcement of the new format came against the backdrop of other statements by the president. Zelensky had previously noted that China does not adhere to a neutral position in Russia's war against Ukraine, and warned of possible consequences for the security of East Asia in the event of deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. In parallel, the head of state reported that Kyiv is preparing for negotiations with US representatives, which, in his words, should strengthen Ukraine's position in the confrontation with Russia. In this context, the launch of C8 appears as an element of a broader strategy of diversifying partnerships and strengthening the regional rear.
The significance of the format for the region
The “Carpathian Eight” could become a notable institutional innovation for Central Europe, as it links within a single framework the issues of security, energy, and logistics, which were previously addressed mainly in a bilateral or European-framework manner. The success of the format will depend on how concrete the mechanisms for implementing the stated priorities turn out to be and whether the declarative “serious start” can be turned into working projects with measurable results for the communities and economies of the participating regions.
