May 17, 2025

The following is a press release:

The European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine on 15 May urged the Ukrainian government and international partners to consider creating a "one-stop shop" to help EU and Ukrainian municipalities form long-term partnerships, as well as to involve cities and regions more substantially in Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction efforts.

The statement by the Alliance contains four core messages for governments, international organisations, financial institutions, businesses, regions, municipalities and civil society organisations that will meet in Rome on 10-11 July for the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC), the principal event of the year focused on Ukraine's reconstruction and modernisation in response to Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion.

Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions, and Antje Grotheer, incoming Chair of the CoR Working Group on Ukraine, presented the messages on behalf of the Alliance to representatives of the URC’s co-organisers, Oleksii Riabykin, Ukraine's Deputy Minister for Rebuilding and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, and to Davide La Cecilia, the Italian government's Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.

Members of the Alliance, which includes Ukrainian and EU territorial associations, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, individual cities and regions and other organisations, called for:

A comprehensive dialogue on the needs and interests of local and regional authorities (LRAs): The statement calls on the URC "to ensure a continuous dialogue on the needs and interests of Ukraine’s cities and regions [...] to advance the decentralisation process and ensure a bottom-up reconstruction approach for Ukraine". The dialogue should involve "local and regional authorities and civil society stakeholders" as well as "national authorities of the donor countries and Ukraine". The statement notes that such a dialogue "is also key in preparing the national, regional and local authorities of Ukraine for the approximation with the EU's regional policy".

LRAs to be formally involved in the Ukraine Donor Platform: The Ukraine Donor Platform, in which international donors and Ukrainian authorities define, prioritise, and sequence strategic needs within the recovery process, should consider "formally" involving “the European and Ukrainian core members of the Alliance in the strategic discussions on Ukraine’s reconstruction". Cities' and regions' expertise and recommendations, particularly in areas under LRAs’ competences, will help align reconstruction efforts with local priorities, improve needs assessments and reinforce multilevel governance.

The creation of a 'one-stop shop' for Ukrainian cities: The Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2024 called for at least 1,000 new partnerships to be formed between the EU and Ukrainian municipalities. In its 15 May statement, the Alliance calls for the URC in Rome "to consider the establishment of a one-stop shop" to strengthen international cooperation between municipalities and regions and to facilitate matchmaking for partnerships As based on capacity needs and expertise available.

More focus on human capital 'for effective local recovery and community development': The Alliance calls for "concrete measures and incentives to prevent and reverse the brain drain and nurture talents that will design and implement reforms and help develop social and economic sectors at local level", "more efforts" to support and accelerate capacity-building through dedicated training programmes for LRAs, and "more financial resources" to support "partnerships between the European and Ukrainian municipalities, cities and regions".

The full statement is available here.

On the same day, 15 May, the CoR hosted a Networking and Match-Making Forum on Strengthening Municipal Partnerships. The Forum represents the Alliance’s contribution on the ‘Road to URC 2025’ and was attended by representatives of nearly 30 Ukrainian regional councils and municipalities, as well as U-LEAD experts and participants of a training programme for civil servants at the sub-national level. It was intended to catalyse new collaborations as well as to share best practices. The city of Kassel in the German state of Hesse and the city of Zhytomyr in north-western Ukraine signed a partnership agreement during the Forum.

The meetings were held in the European Committee of the Regions, which serves as the secretariat of the Alliance.

Quotes:

Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions: "Cities and local communities are at the frontline of damage. But it is not just about reconstructing along the frontlines. It also needs strong regions and cities in the ‘hinterland' to provide the basis for the economic and social recovery and to implement reforms in Ukraine – and in particular those required to get closer to EU standards. The Ukrainian cities and regions are therefore best placed to make their communities – more resilient, more modern and closer to the EU. It needs decentralisation to empower them for that endeavour."

Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Rebuilding and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine: "The reconstruction of Ukraine begins with communities. It is at the local level that decisions are made that change people’s lives every day. Participation at the political level of the Alliance underlines that Ukrainian communities are equal partners in strengthening resilience and driving development. The European Committee of the Regions acts as a bridge between Ukrainian and European municipalities, fostering cooperation, knowledge exchange, and hands-on collaboration at all levels."

Davide La Cecilia, Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy: "We strongly believe the role of local authorities in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine is crucial. This level of government is the one closest to the people and to their needs. Local authorities have kept schools and hospitals open, ensuring basic services to their citizens and welcoming displaced persons with dignity. Together with our own local authorities, we must explore new and effective ways to support the reconstruction effort, to create new and stronger bonds between our people and also to sustain the EU integration path of Ukraine."

Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe: "Ukraine is a top priority of the Council of Europe. We are continuing our close cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities on updating the concept for the decentralisation reform, to clarify responsibilities at all levels of government, strengthen the role of local councils and mayors, and provide a solid framework for sustainable and responsive local governance. Local and regional authorities are not mere beneficiaries of aid; they are agents of change, and their full inclusion is essential. Ukraine’s path to recovery and European Union membership must be rooted at the local level."

Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko, President of the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils (UAROR) and head of Kharkiv Regional Council: "This statement not just a document. It is a political, moral, and strategic platform for the reconstruction of our country. It acknowledges that a fair, resilient, and effective recovery of Ukraine is impossible without the active participation of local self-government from the earliest stages. We have a unique chance not just to participate in reconstruction, but also to become its driving force."

Background:

Full text: ‘Joint Statement on Empowering Local and Regional Authorities for the Reconstruction and Future EU Accession of Ukraine’ by the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction.

The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) was established after Russia's full-scale invasion, building on the foundations of the annual Ukraine Reform Conference established in 2017 by friends of Ukraine, including the European Union. In 2022, the URC was held in Lugano, setting the principles for Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction. In London in 2023, the URC focused on recovery plans, war insurance, and reforms. In Berlin in 2024, the URC focused on the business, human, local and regional, and EU dimensions of Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction, reform, and modernisation of Ukraine. Ukraine and the government of Italy have decided that this year's event in Rome will revolve around the same four themes developed in Berlin.

The statement by the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine calls for "dedicated training programmes" for local and regional authorities in Ukraine, citing TIPS4Ukraine as an example. TIPS4Ukraine (Training and Internship Programme Support for Ukrainian Municipalities) is a pilot programme launched in March 2025 by the European Committee of the Regions. U-LEAD – a partnership between the Ukrainian government, the European Union, Germany, Denmark, France, Poland and Slovenia – is responsible for day-to-day implementation of the programme, which is part-financed by the EU's Ukraine Facility.

The political-level meeting of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction and parts of the Networking and Match-Making Forum on Strengthening Municipal Partnerships can be re-watched on the CoR's website. Photos are available here. A series of pitches presenting the partnership priorities of Ukrainian participants are also available on the dedicated forum webpage.

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has been working with local and regional authorities in Ukraine since 2010. In 2015, it established a task-force to support Ukraine's decentralisation. The CoR now has a Working Group on Ukraine, which will next meet on 27 May, under the chairmanship of Antje Grotheer, (DE/PES), President of the Bremen State Parliament. The CoR co-founded the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine in June 2022. Other co-founders include the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Contact:

Andrew Gardner

Tel: +32 473 843 981

andrew.gardner@cor.europa.eu