Vitalii Bezgin, Ukrainian MP, took part in a panel discussion at the #URC2025, dedicated to the capacity of Ukrainian local and regional authorities. In his speech, Mr Bezgin emphasised the importance of reforms and the practical experience of communities in the context of war.

‘Ukraine implemented the most successful administrative and territorial reform in Europe in 2020,’ said Vitalii Bezgin. ‘This reform has proven its effectiveness during the war. Conversely, one of the first actions taken by the occupiers in the temporarily occupied territories was an attempt to reinstate the Soviet territorial and administrative structure.’

The MP emphasised that ‘our communities and regions are our most reliable and experienced partners’, since local authorities have proven their ability to govern effectively under the challenging conditions of martial law.

‘No other country has this experience. We are ready to share it and teach our colleagues, because everyone must be prepared for further aggression from the Russian Federation. However, to do this, we require additional financial and military support immediately.’

In addition, Vitalii Bezgin emphasised the importance of legislative changes that facilitate cooperation: ‘Over the past year, we have enacted the most liberal legislation on international and domestic inter-municipal cooperation in Europe.’

The MP also highlighted the importance of implementing the requirements of the Ukraine Facility, stating: ‘This is the foundation that will ensure our macro-financial stability and contribute to the further reform of public administration and decentralisation.’

Vitalii Bezgin paid special attention to the issue of regional disparities, which he described as the most significant challenge during wartime: ‘This issue will persist even in the first post-war decades. The state’s task is to implement different approaches for different functional types of territories, as well as for security and statistical macro-regions.’