During the thematic panel discussions, participants debated the outcomes of key reforms relating to local self-government and regional development during wartime. They also identified priorities and next steps for European integration, regional recovery, public investment and instruments that ensure the transparency and effectiveness of regional policy.

 

 

Representatives of frontline and rear communities also signed memoranda as part of the public dialogue ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder: Creating Ukraine’s Future’.

Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories, emphasised that ‘resilience’ is a fitting description of every Ukrainian, who demonstrates strength and endurance on a daily basis, particularly in the context of a full-scale war. This resilience begins in communities. ‘The people who form the foundation of our country’s resilience live and work in communities. Local and regional leaders bear enormous responsibility for the fate of millions of citizens,’ noted the Deputy Prime Minister.

The front line currently stretches for more than 2,000 kilometres, covering 10 regions in which more than 10 million people live. These regions not only form the front line, but also act as a security belt for the whole of Europe. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised the need to support those remaining in Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and other communities on the front line.

 

The Prime Minister, the Government and its partners are committed to supporting frontline communities. A range of aid programmes are being systematically implemented, including a comprehensive programme for 238 communities and 6.6 million people. Over UAH 2.8 billion in subsidies has been allocated for shelter, emergency repairs, and equipment. The Winter Support programme also prioritises people in frontline communities.

The eRestoration platform is an effective and transparent mechanism for infrastructure restoration during the war. To date, over 150,000 families have received compensation totalling UAH 53 billion. The decision has been made to compensate internally displaced persons from temporarily occupied territories for lost property.

By the end of the year, over 200 restoration projects are expected to have been implemented across the regions. One such project is the reconstruction of the Mykolaiv main water pipeline, which supplies water to half a million people. Thanks to the expertise of the Agency for Restoration, the project has managed to save 25 per cent of the budget. Construction of the treatment facilities will cost approximately UAH 650 million and will enable the supply of purified drinking water to the population. In the Kyiv region, 80 per cent of destroyed facilities have been restored.

Ukrainian infrastructure continues to function, even under difficult conditions. For example, Ukrzaliznytsia has evacuated 4 million people and transported almost 20 million tonnes of grain this year alone. Meanwhile, Eurotrack has increased passenger numbers from 30,000 to over two million per year.

With the support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defence Forces, the Ukrainian corridor in the Black Sea is operating to contribute to global food security. Since its inception, 157 million tonnes of cargo have been transported via the corridor. The port of Chornomorsk, the first major public-private partnership project in the port sector, is expected to generate over USD 1.1 billion and create over 1,000 jobs.

As Oleksii Kuleba emphasised, people are at the heart of all these projects. For example, a barrier-free policy is being implemented in 15 pilot communities through the First Lady Olena Zelenska’s Barrier-Free Movement initiative. A project training veterans for careers in logistics has been launched, with the first 90 veterans having already completed the course.

The ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder: Cohesive Communities’ project started during the de-occupation of the Kherson region and now covers 75 per cent of all communities. This year, the all-Ukrainian ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder’ school leagues attracted over a million participants.

Reforms continue despite the war. Implementing regional reforms fulfils our obligations to citizens and European partners. An important law adopted this year has enabled us to fulfil our obligations under the Ukraine Facility, marking a significant step forward in the reform of local government supervision.

The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the EU, the US, the UNDP, the EIB, the EBRD and the governments of many countries for their support. He emphasised that Ukraine’s resilience is the result of the combined efforts of communities, the state, and international partners.

‘The Forum has once again demonstrated that the stability of the state is ensured by the military, who defend the country, and by the communities that support its people. This is a shared path that we are walking together. I would like to thank everyone who works for the people, supports the army, and helps the country to function in wartime,’ concluded Oleksii Kuleba.