The Ukraine and Eastern Europe Model in Local Economic Improvement and Cultivation Strategy

The article examines regional economic recovery through a comparative analysis of Ukraine and Eastern European countries, identifying key determinants of national economic resilience and growth. Particular attention is paid to the synergies among infrastructure, digitalization, environmental sustainability, social development, and innovation as complementary drivers of recovery. The study emphasizes the importance of integrated approaches that combine multiple sectors to ensure long-term stability and competitiveness. The methodological framework is based on systemic, structural, and comparative analytical approaches, complemented by an integral assessment method. This method aggregates indicators into eight thematic blocks, which are further synthesized into a composite index (R) measuring regional recovery. This approach enables cross-country comparison and provides a comprehensive evaluation of national recovery strategies. The findings reveal distinct recovery profiles among the analyzed countries. Ukraine achieved the highest R score (0.47), reflecting a balanced combination of infrastructure, energy, digitalization, and social reintegration. Hungary (0.45) demonstrates strong digital and innovation performance, while Slovakia and Romania (0.34) emphasize environmental and transport development. Poland and Bulgaria (0.28) show more fragmented innovation patterns. The study concludes that the most effective recovery strategies are based on “mixed” portfolios with strong inter-sectoral complementarity. For Ukraine, an optimal financing structure is proposed, prioritizing infrastructure and energy, followed by digitalization, innovation, social development, and green modernization. The research contributes a unified index for comparative analysis and offers a practical monitoring framework to support strategic planning and alignment with European development trajectories.