During the IV International Summit of Cities and Regions “Partnership. Resilience. Readiness” a number of bilateral cooperation agreements were signed between Ukrainian communities and regions and their partner cities and regions abroad.

 

 

Areas of cooperation include the restoration of communities, inter-municipal partnerships, support for frontline areas, education, the development of local self-government, and international solidarity.

 

 

This involves 22 agreements, memoranda and letters of intent that cover 10 regions of Ukraine and partners from over 10 countries around the world. Specifically, on the Ukrainian side, these include Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv regions. On the part of foreign partners: Norway, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Moldova, Poland, Italy, the United States, Sweden, and Germany.

 

 

A key feature of this year’s Summit was the expansion of its geographical scope to include de-occupied and frontline territories, as well as the strengthening of interregional cooperation under the “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” project.

 

 

In particular, the Kherson Regional Military Administration signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Vestfold County Council (Kingdom of Norway) and the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia (Republic of Finland).

 

 

The Sumy Regional Military Administration expanded its European cooperation significantly by signing agreements with the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Hertfordshire County Council in the United Kingdom, and the Belgian association ‘Europe Prykhystok’. The Chernihiv Regional Military Administration concluded a strategic agreement with the Regional Council of Île-de-France.

 

 

Olhopil rural community in Vinnytsia region, jointly with Siversk urban community in Donetsk region, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on trilateral cooperation with Gmina Masłowice (Łódź Voivodeship, Poland), whilst Zaporizhzhia and Chernivtsi signed a similar agreement with Bergamo (Italy).

 

 

‘Year after year, we confirm that when Ukrainian communities and their foreign partners communicate directly, recovery is much faster and more effective. For the Ministry, maintaining such ties is of fundamental importance, as this is the most transparent route for investment in cities and communities. The agreements signed today are ready-made solutions backed by specific restored facilities, re-established services, and more sustainable communities,’ notes Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

 

 

The atmosphere of trust and cooperation created at the Summit lays a solid foundation for a long-term, comprehensive partnership between Ukrainian communities and cities and their international partners. This facilitates not only the rapid restoration of damaged and destroyed social and critical infrastructure, but also the high-quality modernisation of local self-government in Ukraine.