Ukraine is Europe. The International Cities and Regions Summit demonstrated this very clearly.

The war changed the life of every Ukrainian. In conditions where few believed in our ability to resist the struggle against the Russian Federation, we were able to recapture part of our occupied territory, consolidate the international community around us, develop, not restrict, European integration reforms. In the second year of a large-scale war, hundreds of representatives of foreign states met in the capital of Ukraine at the International Summit of Cities and Regions.

International delegations include regional heads, city mayors, city association presidents in their respective states, representatives of the European Union, the Council of Europe and other international organizations.

This became an example of the successful expansion of the activities of the Congress of Local Authorities and Regions, chaired by the President of Ukraine, where the summit was held. After all, the direct link between Ukrainian and foreign community leaders helps promote successful foreign experience in Ukraine, even in the conditions of a full-scale war.

About the Summit

As part of the summit, foreign delegations visited the unoccupied areas of Ukraine and saw with their own eyes the consequences of Russian aggression, occupation and hostilities – everything Ukraine has protected Europe and the democratic world. We showed the real picture of the war. And this is very important because Ukraine is not fighting for land, but for democratic values ​​common to Western countries.

The International Cities and Regions Summit enabled us to take the dialogue on cooperation with our international partners to a new level. We discussed the processes of development of decentralization reform under war conditions: it is important that it does not stop, but continues. Decentralization has allowed communities at the level of villages, towns, cities, counties and regions to quickly make strategically important decisions, respond to the situation on the ground and strengthen the protection of the civilian population.

The legal regime of martial law introduced some changes in local governments – military administrations were created. This is a demand for war without political overtones and driven solely by matters of national security and defense.

The increasing interest of the international community in decentralization processes in Ukraine is understandable today because our experience is unique.

On the one hand, the war brought with it a number of difficulties, on the other hand, it gives Ukraine the opportunity to modernize the reform, which is already a candidate country for EU membership.

results

The International Cities and Regions Summit has become a platform not only for discussions but also for results. We have laid the foundation for effective interaction between communities at the international level.

Why is it important? Collaboration in the city-city format is fast and effective. If we recall the Russian Federation’s bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, its purpose was to completely destroy, one of the first to quickly respond and provide assistance to our communities were the municipalities of other countries.

I am grateful to the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, for her continuous assistance to our state, especially the Kiev region. It was Paris that became one of the leaders in energy support during the hardest winter for Ukraine. Ms. Mayor visited the Kiev region three times after the end of the occupation and initiated the distribution of emergency electricity generators in the region that helped prevent an energy crisis. Anne Hidalgo’s efforts are highly appreciated by Ukraine. And during the International Summit of Cities and Regions, President Volodymyr Zelensky himself conferred on Paris the title of “savior city”.

In addition, 11 cooperation agreements were signed between Ukraine and European cities and regions within the framework of the event. I believe that such experience of cooperation should become the norm for all regions of Ukraine, as communities function and interact in decentralized countries, including the European Union.

Also, within the framework of the Summit, representatives of more than 30 countries of the world, the Council of Europe and the European Committee of the Regions signed a Declaration condemning the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine. The partners expressed their readiness to support Ukraine as much as necessary in its struggle for independence, and also expressed their full support to Ukraine’s communities and regions in the process of restructuring and on the path to economic, social and cultural development. .

It is important that this is a clear and dynamic document. Other countries of the civilized world continue to support the Declaration. At the initiative of Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office and representatives of foreign states, we are making additions to this document in order to reach a joint sectoral and interethnic agreement.

The highlight of the summit was the signing of the Agreement on Ukraine’s accession to the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union. It is the world’s largest system for providing internationally coordinated operational emergency assistance.

Reflecting the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, involvement in such a mechanism is extremely important for Ukraine: after all, it is not only a question of raising the standards of protection of the Ukrainian people, but also of the possibility of disseminating unique experience. humanitarian aid and achievements in the field of civil protection during the war. The state was taken during a full-scale war.

Therefore, we reaffirm Ukraine’s deep integration with the European community.

International Cooperation Regional Offices

At the summit, we presented the Regional Offices for International Cooperation to our partners as follows: a tangible step towards a permanent communication format. In fact, it is a platform for coordination at the level of community representatives, searching for new forms of cooperation, direct cooperation. Both local self-government bodies and regional military administrations are directly related to such Offices.

All states, cities, regions and international organizations that are ready to share experience and methodological support not only for the restoration and development of Ukrainian communities can participate.

First of all, we are opening Offices in the occupied areas of Ukraine. I am confident that they will become a space for combining efforts that will make it possible to more effectively overcome the difficulties of war through joint efforts.

instead of results

Thus, the International Cities and Regions Summit has become an important international event involving representatives of more than 50 different states and societies. The event demonstrated the importance of the Congress as a platform for effective interaction between local governments and international partners, contributing to the completion of local self-government reform and the development of regional state policy in the face of Russia’s challenges. -Ukraine war.

I believe that in coordination with the world community, the European Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the EU Committee of the Regions, we will achieve our main goal – we will establish a high-quality system of interaction between local authorities and local governments. central government. And the experience and solution gained – in the near future we will scale it to communities in the Luhansk region, Donbass and Crimea.

It is the task of Ukrainian communities to create new meanings, to steer and moderate the field of European integration.

We are as strong as we unite.