On 29 April, the Second International Cohesion Forum was held in Kyiv on the initiative of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories, bringing together over 500 representatives of communities and regions, government officials, international organisations, and the public sector.

The event was organised within the framework of EU4Recovery – the flagship partnership between the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.

The event was opened by Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories.

 

 

‘Today, Ukraine has moved from reacting to challenges to systematically building resilience. Every region now has clear plans for protecting critical infrastructure, developing energy independence, and ensuring basic services for the people – and we are already putting these measures into practice. But the scale of the challenges far exceeds the capacity of a single country. That is precisely why we propose moving from general declarations to specific joint projects c in communities, regions, and at the state level. Ukraine’s resilience today is part of Europe’s resilience. It is also the foundation of our European integration. We are already developing a model that aligns with the principles of the EU cohesion policy, and we are ready to work as a full partner – with our experience, solutions, and results. Our goal is not merely to rebuild the country, but to establish a modern, decentralised, and sustainable system for regional development. And to do so together with our international partners,’ emphasised Oleksii Kuleba.

Oleksandr Kornienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, and Asier Santillán Luzuriaga, Head of the ‘European Integration, Governance and Rule of Law, Civil Society’ section of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Christophoros Politis, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, and Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe delivered welcoming remarks at the event.

 

 

‘Cohesion is not just a slogan, but our weapon in today’s struggle against the enemy. These past four years have shown that it is only through the joint efforts of central and local authorities, the Parliament, the Government, and our international partners that we continue to stand firm. I see this strength in every trip to the frontline regions – from heroic Kherson to Sumy and Kharkiv. There is still much work ahead: from implementing new measures in the State Budget to continuing decentralisation reforms. So let us continue to work for the sake of our people and our country,’ said Oleksandr Korniienko.

 

 

‘Today, the whole of Ukraine – the central government, the regions, and the communities – is united in responding to the key challenge of wartime: the Russian threat to our energy sector and all critical infrastructure systems. We face key tasks in preparing for the coming winter: protecting energy facilities, building up equipment reserves and ensuring self-sufficiency, so that every community and region has the opportunity to be energy-independent,’ emphasised Denys Shmyhal.

 

 

Asier Santillán Luzuriaga noted, ‘Reforms, solidarity, and regional development are enabling Ukraine to withstand the war and move towards the EU, setting a standard of resilience for the whole of Europe. This resilience is evident every day in the lives of Ukrainian people and communities and must be underpinned by strong decentralisation and clear governance, bringing Ukraine closer to the European Union. Through the Ukraine Facility and our flagship programmes, the EU is supporting a recovery that not only rebuilds infrastructure but also strengthens institutions, trust, and the foundations of a modern European Ukraine.’

 

 

‘Ukraine’s recovery will depend on trust between the state and its citizens – trust that is built on strong, capable communities. Across the country, communities are strengthening institutions, increasing transparency, restoring services, and restarting local economies. This comprehensive approach reflects the principles of solidarity and lays the foundation for an inclusive and sustainable recovery. Together with the European Union and other partner countries, UNDP will continue to support decentralisation and communities across Ukraine to advance reforms and help the Ukrainian people build a better future,’ said Christophoros Politis.

During the Forum, a government discussion was held on ‘EU Structural Funds and other international financial resources, audit of fund utilisation’, attended by Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories; Alla Basalaieva, Head of the State Audit Service of Ukraine; Arsen Makarchuk, Head of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine; Mariana Semenyshyn, Co-Project Manager from GIZ, EU4Reconstruction, and Themis Christophidou, Director-General of the European Commission's Regional and Urban Policy department (DG REGIO).

 

 

Another dimension of the Forum is the local self-government discussion ‘Global partnerships, attracting investment, and the role of communities in the structure of national sustainability and cohesion’. The discussion was joined by Oleksandr Korinnyi, Chair of the Association of Amalgamated Territorial Communities and Mayor of Novoukrainka; Ivan Slobodianyk, Executive Director of the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities; Oksana Prodan, Adviser to the Chair of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Ana Lukatela, Head of Area-Based Recovery, UNDP Ukraine; Mykola Riznyk, Mayor of Opishnia; and Kostiantyn Havrylchuk, Mayor of Putivl.

 

 

Six Members of Parliament joined the parliamentary debate ‘The legislative foundation of Ukraine’s resilience and unity – from national policy to the European future’. These included Olena Shuliak, Chair of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Oleh Bondarenko, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management; Yuliia Hryshyna, Chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education of the Committee on Education, Science and Innovation; Vadym Halaichuk,  First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Integration of Ukraine into the European Union, Mykhailo Radutskyi, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health, Medical Care and Health Insurance, and Halyna Tretiakova, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights. Nicolae-Miroslav Petrețchi, Chair of the Union of Ukrainians in Romania and Member of the Romanian Parliament, also took part in this panel discussion.

 

 

A special feature of the event was a closed-door strategic discussion involving ambassadors from partner countries, representatives of the Government, Parliament, and communities, focusing on issues of resilience, social cohesion, and the coordination of international support. Around 30 representatives of foreign states and Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, joined the discussion on strengthening the country’s resilience and securing support from partners.

 

 

During the Forum, a number of memoranda were signed within the framework of the ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder: Cohesive Communities’ project. Strong communities are the foundation of resilience, and the signing of these memoranda of understanding creates an opportunity to launch community partnerships as mutually beneficial cooperation with bilateral exchanges of knowledge and solutions.

The Forum was organised by the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine within the framework of EU4Recovery – the flagship partnership between the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.