Ukraine’s recovery requires knowledge and experience, not just resources - Lviv mayor
That’s the message from Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, who spoke to an Ukrinform correspondent on the sidelines of the 49th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Strasbourg.
Sadovyi emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships between Ukrainian and European cities and investing in the resilience of local communities, which he described as the starting point for meaningful change. “It’s essential to build partnerships and adopt best practices. If we want to win, the country’s recovery must begin with knowledge. At the same time, our colleagues need our experience in survival,” he said.
He recalled the creation of the Unbroken Cities network during the war, a joint initiative with the mayors of Manchester and Liverpool. The network now includes cities such as Cannes, Reykjavík, Brno, Frankfurt, Oslo, Mechelen, and others.
“We’re actively expanding this network. We already have the Unbroken University and two specialized schools — one for postgraduate medical education and another for municipal leadership. We’re now inviting Ukrainian cities to join, as they have a much deeper understanding of what resilience truly means. We live under attack every day, and I believe this experience will be extremely valuable to our colleagues in European cities,” Sadovyi added.
He also noted the importance of grant support from European institutions, which has helped Lviv advance local community development.
“Today we signed a document that provides grant funding for the active development of our agglomeration. It allows us to showcase our work and dive deeper into solving complex challenges. No one will come and solve our problems for us. The global situation is becoming more difficult, and the communities that are prepared — where leaders understand their personal responsibility — will demonstrate strength and endure in the current global confrontation between totalitarian regimes and democracies,” Sadovyi explained.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery must not wait for the agreement of a just and sustainable peace. These processes are already underway and should continue at both local and regional levels. This principle is enshrined in the Declaration entitled Ukraine: Towards a Just Peace, adopted by delegates of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
