A Ukrainian delegation of mayors and local representatives, accompanied by Ukraine’s Ambassador to France, Vadym Omelchenko, was welcomed by France’s Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot.
Together, they discussed concrete ways to address the needs of Ukrainian cities seeking partnerships with French local governments.
The Ukrainian mayors in attendance, including Vadym Boichenko (Mariupol), Andrii Sadovyi (Lviv), Mykola Riznyk (Opishnya), Mykhailo Kryvosheiev (Tarashcha), Tetiana Bardina (Poltava), Kateryna Tereshchenko (Uman), Volodymyr Shmatko (Chortkiv), Bohdan Kelichavyi (Kopychyntsi), Andrii Kolomiitsev (Priyutivka), as well as Denys Denyshchenko, Deputy Governor of the Luhansk region, emphasized their commitment to developing concrete projects with French municipalities. This collective appeal reflects the urgent need to strengthen international solidarity to support reconstruction efforts and assist local populations.
Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed that establishing partnerships between French and Ukrainian cities is a priority for the French government.
The meeting also included key French stakeholders involved in fostering these partnerships:
- Pierre Heilbronn, Special Envoy of the President of France for Aid and Reconstruction in Ukraine;
- Thibaut Guignard, Co-Chair of the Europe Commission of the Association of French Mayors and Mayor of Plœuc-l’Hermitage;
- Edward Mayor, President of Stand With Ukraine.
All participants emphasized the importance of launching tangible projects and promoting the exchange of expertise between local governments.
These discussions pointed out the critical role of collaboration between French and Ukrainian local authorities in building strong and lasting bridges between the two nations.
