In Kyiv, EU cities and regions emphasise that path to EU membership requires deep involvement of Ukraine’s local authorities

A decentralised and inclusive reconstruction process will be critical to the success of Ukraine's recovery and also to the country's ambitions to become a member of the European Union, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) said on 6 June at a summit in Kyiv of leaders of regions and cities.

Addressing the third International Summit of Cities and Regions, convened by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of the CoR – Kata Tüttő (HU/PES) of Budapest City Council – and the chair of the CoR’s Working Group on Ukraine – Antje Grotheer (DE/PES), president of Bremen State Parliament – underscored the commitment of EU cities and regions to help Ukrainian local and regional authorities.

The scale and intensity of the challenges that Ukraine's local and regional authorities face because of Russia's ongoing invasion was underscored hours earlier when, on the eve of the summit, Kyiv was hit by a barrage of Russian drones and missiles, killing four people. Ms Grotheer visited one of the apartment blocks hit by a drone in the overnight attack.

The International Summit of Cities and Regions considered how to increase the number of bomb shelters, help victims of the war, revive and develop regional economies, strengthen energy systems, and prepare local and regional administrations to adopt EU regulations and manage EU funds.

The meeting came weeks before the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, the annual centrepiece of efforts to mobilise and coordinate international support for the recovery, reconstruction, reform, and modernisation of Ukraine.

The messages delivered in person by Antje Grotheer and via videolink by President Tüttő reflected recommendations presented in May to the co-organisers of the Ukraine Recovery Conference – the Ukrainian and Italian governments – by the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine. The European Committee of the Regions is a co-founder of the Alliance and serves as its secretariat.

The Alliance is calling for a continuous and structured dialogue on the needs and priorities of Ukrainian cities and regions during the reconstruction process, the formal involvement of local and regional authorities in planning for reconstruction in the context of the Ukraine Donor Platform, support for the development of municipal partnerships, and more opportunities for capacity building in local and regional administrations.

Members of the Alliance include territorial associations from Ukraine and the EU, individual regions and cities, and a range of private organisations, and public institutions, including the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. 

Quotes:

• Antje Grotheer (DE/PES), president of Bremen State Parliament and chair of the CoR's Working Group on Ukraine: "Decentralisation is really key for facilitating Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Ukraine could learn for instance from Poland how regions can efficiently manage EU funds under regional policy. However, we are not advocating for a specific model of decentralisation, but for placing more trust and competences at the level of regions and cities, which is a prerequisite for EU accession. The screening of Ukraine's legislation in relation to regional policy to be completed in autumn in the context of the accession negotiations will be a moment of truth in this regard."
• Kata Tüttő (HU/PES), president of the European Committee of the Regions and member of Budapest City Council: "There is still an enormous potential for increasing city-to-city and region-to-region cooperation between cities and regions in Ukraine and in the European Union. Of course, there is a higher demand by the Ukrainian side because the EU cities and regions are either afraid or do not know how to proceed. We, as the CoR, tell EU partners: don't be afraid! Join existing partnerships, build on economic partnerships and on human relationships, look for advice with networks such as the Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine and you will benefit enormously from cooperating with Ukrainian partners in the long term. You will benefit from their experience of resilience, you will see the perspectives for your SMEs, and you can strengthen human connections which can move mountains. The cooperation is not one-way."

More information:

• Photos: Available for downloading here, including photos from the summit, a visit to a residential energy project in Kyiv and to a residential block struck by drones on the night of 5-6 June.
• Video: Audiovisual material is available on request.
• International Summit of Cities and Regions: The summit was held in Kyiv, Ukraine on 6 June 2024. It was organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine. The Congress is an advisory body to President Zelenskyy. Video from the summit is available on YouTube.
• European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine: The Alliance, which  was launched in June 2022, brings together territorial associations from Ukraine and Europe, individual cities and regions, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe  , the Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, Energy Cities, and a range of public- and private-sector organisations. The Alliance forms part of the broader EU and international effort to mobilise and coordinate emergency and long-term support for Ukraine. The European Committee of the Regions serves as the secretariat of the Alliance.
• European Committee of the Regions opinion on Ukraine: "Enlargement package 2024 – Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia" (rapporteur: Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, mayor of Gdańsk). 

Contact:

Andrew Gardner

Tel: +32473 843 981

andrew.gardner@cor.europa.eu