Ukraine’s path to the European Union is a challenging negotiation on laws, regulations, and democratic principles. But it also involves inclusion in the European economic system, where logistics connections will play a strategic role for trade and security.
We discussed this with Mario Mauro, former vice president of the European parliament and former Italian defense minister, who was appointed European Coordinator for the Baltic, Black Sea, and Aegean Sea Transport Corridors by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. His tasks include extending European corridors to Ukraine, which entails huge investments in transport and infrastructure.
Ugo Poletti: How was the TEN-T policy reshaped by the EU’s understanding of Ukraine’s needs of safe transports, security, and resilience towards economic shocks?
Mario Mauro: For decades, we as Europeans built our peace and thrived around an idea that was once unimaginable between countries that had sat on opposite sides of the trenches during WWII: freedom of circulation of goods and people. To achieve this, we started opening our borders and began thinking in ways that, years later, led us to establish the TEN‑T (Trans-European Transport Network) policy.
An interconnected Europe is a continent that can face unprecedented challenges; it is ready to deliver for its citizens when climate change threatens forests in Greece or Portugal. An interconnected Europe can be resilient and ensure that all our critical infrastructures are safe from hybrid threats. An interconnected Europe shows that the future of Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans lies within the EU, against those ghosts of the past that we are once again called to dismantle – showing that together we can endure challenges as one united continent.
Do you believe that transport infrastructure has now become a component of Europe’s defence architecture? If so, is this new role reflected in TEN-T planning and priorities?
Strategic infrastructure such as railways has always been dual-use throughout the history of modern transportation. Russian aggression has brought back into focus the crucial role played by Ukrainian railways, which – thanks to their expertise and unbreakable spirit – allowed thousands of civilians to evacuate safely from the frontline, while also protecting military supply chains at the front.
All of this – and this may sound shocking to some – was achieved while keeping ordinary public transport intact along the lines, for however “ordinary” a state of war can be, I would add.
What we are working toward is a capillary, durable, and modern infrastructure that can deliver quickly under the greatest pressure on member states. Defense, by its very essence, is a key pillar of a strategically interconnected transport grid.
Among my duties as Coordinator, a key priority is the unification of gauge systems in Finland and Eastern Europe, improving readiness and reducing response times to the bare minimum for member states in case of need. This is one of my priorities for the coming months, together with all our partners along the corridor.
Ukraine and Moldova became a front line of strategic competition. How does this affect the EU’s long-term vision for connectivity in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea basin?
I will be very direct on this point: we need to deliver at all levels of cooperation within member states and with our partners in the region – Ukraine and Moldova in the first place. Connectivity is the backbone of competitiveness, and this must be our compass for action.
We have gone far in enhancing our transport capacity along the Corridor, but we need to go the extra mile – enhancing not only capability and interoperability, but also strengthening our critical and energy infrastructure, avoiding bottlenecks, and guaranteeing access to affordable, sustainable, and abundant energy. This energy should circulate freely within the system, providing relief during peak periods and redistributing supply to regions where it is most needed.
As TEN-T Coordinator also for the Black Sea, what are the main challenges in synchronizing national priorities within a single European corridor?
As TEN‑T Coordinator, my task is to build consensus and promote corridor thinking and mindset. I believe we must keep the focus on functional continuity and long‑term European connectivity, rather than reasoning solely in terms of individual national projects.
This becomes crucial in regions such as the Black Sea and Baltic corridors, where scaling up resources and bringing together good practices and diverse ideas on how to reach shared targets has proven, without any doubt, to be the winning strategy.
The key to the success of the TEN‑T project is to start moving together, giving regions the opportunity to generate European added value. As at the start of Europe’s political journey, solidarity and step‑by‑step cooperation – solving problems and improving citizens’ lives – will allow us to complete the Union by embracing all regions and like‑minded partners.
It is impossible to ignore the elephant in the room: the unlawful and brutal aggression by Moscow must come to an end.
In practical terms, how does the coordination between European funding instruments and national budgets work? What mechanisms ensure that investments are coherent rather than fragmented?
Instruments such as the TEN‑T Regulation and the Core Network Corridors, together with national work plans, provide a shared reference framework guiding both EU funding (e.g. CEF) and national investment decisions.
What is important is that EU funds are designed to act as catalysts, not substitutes, for national budgets. Grants are combined with national co‑financing. Another powerful instrument is EIB loans; the EIB is a crucial partner in this journey, with whom I am fully aligned, and as coordinators we will have a key meeting next month.
Finally, funding is increasingly linked to project maturity, taking into account cross‑border impact and contribution to corridor objectives, thereby reducing the risk of fragmented or overlapping investments.
How do you define “energy efficiency of transport” within the TEN-T framework, and why has it become a strategic priority for the EU?
Energy efficiency goes hand in hand with energy security. The TEN‑T framework is also closely linked to the interconnection of energy facilities. A memorable achievement was last year, when the Baltic states officially disconnected from the Russian power grid.
Recent developments and intelligence gathered in the field show us that hybrid threats and energy disruptions are real, and that they can target our hospitals, ports, and power grids.
How does improving the energy efficiency of transport corridors contribute to Europe’s energy security and resilience, especially in times of crisis or conflict?
To answer this, I think the only thing I should point to when discussing energy security is the brutality Russia has repeatedly shown by targeting power plants and energy supplies in Ukraine – leaving families, children, and hospitals without power in the depths of winter, with temperatures reaching -27°C. This is what we must bear in mind when we speak about energy security.
Why are measures like electrification of railways and ports energy independence particularly critical for the Black Sea and Eastern European connectivity today?
Rail and maritime transport are essential for providing high-capacity, energy-efficient, and resilient connectivity for long‑distance freight. In the Black Sea region, they are crucial for linking ports, the Danube, and hinterland markets – especially where road capacity and border crossings are constrained.
Key measures include a modal shift from road to rail and inland waterways, rail electrification, and shore‑side electricity and renewable energy in ports. Digital traffic management and interoperability systems will further reduce congestion, fuel use, and energy waste.
What are the main bottlenecks in rail connections between Ukrainian ports and the EU, and how can they be addressed in the short and medium term?
The main bottlenecks are, first and foremost, gauge differences, as well as limited border capacity, infrastructure in need of upgrading and strengthening, and a shortage of intermodal terminals.
TEN-T provides a technical, regulatory, and investment roadmap that allows Ukraine to align its infrastructure standards with those of the EU well before full accession. This enables early integration, accelerating processes through compatible networks, shared priorities, and coordinated, ambitious funding.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to ignore the elephant in the room: the unlawful and brutal aggression by Moscow must come to an end, and Putin must be brought to negotiations that are accepted and agreed upon by our allies and partners in Kyiv.
Describe what the success of the Black Sea TEN-T Corridor could look like in 10 years, from an economic, strategic and political perspective.
Success would mean a fully connected, interoperable, and resilient corridor supporting trade, reconstruction, and energy security. Strategically, it would strengthen Europe’s eastern connectivity; politically, it would anchor the Black Sea region more firmly within the EU’s future.
And a small – perhaps naïve – aspect in such a complex world would be imagining the corridor as a hub for people carrying their wishes and aspirations, not only as an aseptic system for the economic mobility of goods.