SITE Development Day 2025: Ukraine & Moldova - Recap & Photos
Summary
On December 5, 2025, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) held its annual Development Day on Ukraine’s and Moldova’s path toward EU membership. The morning addressed macro preconditions and foreign support, leading into Panel 1: Economic resilience & EU accession, where Stefan Falk joined Dumitru Pintea, Michał Myck, Raj M. Desai, and Nataliia Shapoval; Torbjörn Becker moderated. The afternoon featured Panel 2: Democratic resilience, disinformation & EU accession with Tobias Thyberg, Klara Lindström, Nataliia Shapoval, and Viorel Ursu; Anders Olofsgård moderated. The program closed with Panel 3: Human capital development & EU accession with Rustam Romaniuc, Anhelina Vaskovska, and Kata Fredheim, moderated by Anders Olofsgård, followed by closing remarks from Torbjörn Becker and Nataliia Shapoval.
Presentation slides
- "Poland before and after EU accession: comparing trends with candidate countries" Michal Myck, Director at CenEA, Szczecin
- "The future of development finance" Raj M. Desai, Professor of International Development at Georgetown University
- "Macroeconomic Developments and Entrepreneurial Dynamics in Moldova on the path to EU integration" Dumitru Pintea, Expert at Partnerships for New Economy, Chisinau
- "Strengthening human capital: How Ukraine and Moldova can retain and reconnect their students" Anhelina Vaskovska, International Relations Specialist
- “Building Institutions for Economic Competence” Rustam Romaniuc, Associate Professor at Montpellier Business School
Photo gallery
Photo of Anders Olofsgård, Deputy Director of SITE, as he inaugurates the annual Development Day conference, extending a heartfelt greeting to all attendees. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dag Hartelius, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dag Hartelius. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dag Hartelius. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Vadym Halaichuk, First Deputy Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Vadym Halaichuk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Vadym Halaichuk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Jesper Roine, Deputy Director of SITE, seated among the audience during the event. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Carolina Perebinos, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova.Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Carolina Perebinos. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dag Hartelius. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Nataliia Shapoval, Chairman of KSE Institute, presenting her talk on “The Macroeconomic Situation in Ukraine”. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dumitru Pintea, Expert at Partnerships for New Economy, Chisinau, presenting his talk on “Macroeconomic Developments and Entrepreneurial Dynamics in Moldova on the path to EU integration”. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dumitru Pintea. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Dumitru Pintea. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Raj M. Desai, Professor of International Development at Georgetown University, presenting his talk on “The Future of Development Finance”. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Raj M. Desai. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Michal Myck, Director of CenEA, Szczecin, presenting his talk on “Poland before and after EU accession: comparing trends with candidate countries”. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Michal Myck. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Michal Myck. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Michal Myck. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Torbjörn Becker, Director of SITE, moderator for Panel 1 "Economic resilience and EU accession". Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Stefan Falk, Director, Swedfund Project Accelerator, presenting his talk on Swedfund's current and future Ukraine projects. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Panel 1 moderated by Torbjörn Becker. From left: Dumitru Pintea, Michal Myck, Raj M. Desa, Nataliia Shapoval, and Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
From left: Dumitru Pintea, Michal Myck, Raj M. Desa, Nataliia Shapoval, Stefan Falk, and Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Dumitru Pintea. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Michal Myck. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Raj M. Desai. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Raj M. Desai. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Raj M. Desai. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Nataliia Shapoval and Stefan Falk. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Klara Lindström, Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS), during Panel 2 "Democratic resilience, disinformation and EU accession". Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Klara Lindström. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Klara Lindström. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Klara Lindström. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Viorel Ursu, Moldovan Ambassador to Sweden, next to Klara Lindström. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Viorel Ursu. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Viorel Ursu. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Viorel Ursu next to Klara Lindström and Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Anders Olofsgård, moderator of Panel 2. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Tobias Thyberg, Deputy Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Tobias Thyberg. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Tobias Thyberg next to Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Anhelina Vaskovska, International Relations Specialist, presenting her talk on “The Voices of the Young: Ukraine and Moldova”. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Anhelina Vaskovska. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Anhelina Vaskovska. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Anhelina Vaskovska. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Rustam Romaniuc, Associate Professor at Montpellier Business School, presenting his talk on “Building Institutions for Economic Competence”. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Rustam Romaniuc. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Rustam Romaniuc. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Rustam Romaniuc. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Panel 3 "Human capital development and EU accession" moderated by Anders Olofsgård. From left: Rustam Romaniuc, Anhelina Vaskovska, and Kata Fredheim, Executive Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy, SSE Riga. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Kata Fredheim. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Kata Fredheim. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Kata Fredheim. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Rustam Romaniuc. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
In focus: Anhelina Vaskovska. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Closing remarks by Torbjörn Becker & Nataliia Shapoval. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Dominick Nilsson
Photo of Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Dominick Nilsson