Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a new regional cooperation format bringing Ukraine together with seven European countries, including Hungary, as well as the European Union.
First C8 summit held in Ukraine
Zelensky announced the launch of the Carpathian Eight, or C8, on 18 September, as the first summit bringing together the participating countries was held in Ukraine’s Carpathian region. The new format includes Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Austria, Romania and Serbia, with the European Union also involved as a bloc, reports Ukrainian outlet Pravda.
“C8” is intended to provide a new framework for cooperation between Ukraine and its European neighbours. According to Zelensky, the initiative is designed to bring the participating countries closer together while creating an additional channel for cooperation at the EU level. In a social media post, the Ukrainian president described the summit as the beginning of a broader regional movement involving countries, regions and local communities across the Carpathian area.
Today, for the first time, here in Ukraine, in our part of the Carpathians, we hold a Summit that brings together all the Carpathian states, the regions and communities of our countries. We are launching a new format – “C8,” the Carpathian Eight – bringing together us and our… pic.twitter.com/tcIupMsBBK
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 18, 2026
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Security, energy and transport among priorities
According to Zelensky, the new cooperation format will focus on several areas of common interest, including security, energy, logistics and cross-border economic cooperation. The Ukrainian president also highlighted the importance of supporting local communities and expanding connections between the participating countries.
The emphasis on logistics and cross-border cooperation could be particularly significant for the landlocked countries of the region, as well as Ukraine, which has sought to strengthen its transport and economic links with European neighbours during the war. The format is also intended to create what Zelensky described as another strong framework for cooperation at EU level.
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Hungary represented at the summit
Hungary is among the countries included in the new C8 format. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry confirmed to the Hungarian media outlet Telex that the head of Hungary’s embassy in Kyiv is attending the event as Hungary’s representative.
The inclusion of Hungary comes as relations between Budapest and Kyiv remain a politically sensitive issue, as Budapest wants to secure the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia before letting Ukraine progress in their plans to join the European Union.
