In his opening speech, Yaroslav Zhalilo, in particular, stressed that it is not enough to cease fire and restore constitutional order to restore peace in Donbass. It is also necessary to build a model of a new Donbass, which will become the basis for consolidation of the region. First of all, it should be implemented in a controlled territory, which should become a "showcase", which will demonstrate the possibility of transformation of the region with old industry. After de-occupation, this model can be extended to all Ukrainian Donbass. Mr. Zhalilo also noted that the magnitude of the problem is so huge that the transformation of Donbass must gain international support and be embedded in the process of European integration of Ukraine.
Participants of the panel discussion expressed their own vision of the future of Donbass, the main problems that need to be solved, resource potential that may be involved. In particular, it was about the importance of the humanitarian component of transformation, the transition from the logic of war to strategic approaches to peacebuilding, structural transformation as the basis of the new Donbass economy.
The importance of substantiating the feasibility of carrying out a specific policy of Donbas reconstruction and making special international efforts - by defining the new role of the Donbass in the national economy, and addressing regional problems in the global and macro-regional (European) dimension - were emphasized.