Direct communications between cities and communities of Ukraine and European countries will help rebuild our country, make it better, and win.
Such an opinion was voiced by mayor of Zhytomyr Serhiy Sukhomlin during the Second International Summit of Cities and Regions.
“Help from the European Union and local self-government is very important for us. Direct communications between cities and communities make it possible to restore Ukraine. Because we need to build much better than what was destroyed. Therefore, such an exchange of experience and direct contacts are what will really help us win, restore Ukraine and make it better,” Serhiy Sukhomlyn emphasized.
The mayor of Zhytomyr also drew attention to the importance of the activities of the Congress of local and regional authorities under the President of Ukraine in this process. In particular, conditions are created for direct communication between representatives of local self-government, communities, governments of both Ukraine and European countries.
Serhiy Sukhomlyn considers the site of the second International Summit of Cities and Regions to be an equally important element.
“The summit is an exchange of experiences, an opportunity to keep attention on Ukraine in the European Union. A lot of connections appear at this level. Then the team, for example, from Zhytomyr goes to the city of Dortmund. And we receive, in addition to humanitarian aid, new competences that help us implement projects faster and more efficiently,” says the mayor of Zhytomyr.
Serhiy Sukhomlyn noted that Zhytomyr has been strengthening and intensifying cooperation with Western partners since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“I remember very well the first days of the war, when we had the task of evacuating a very large number of people from Zhytomyr. These are, first of all, military families. And then it was the sister cities and partners who responded first. Already on the first day, Plotsk, Gdynia and many other cities received our people,” said Serhiy Sukhomlyn.
Currently, cooperation between Zhytomyr and the European community continues. So, for example, the European Commission allocated 8 million euros to Zhytomyr for the construction of housing for internally displaced persons. Construction is ongoing, most of the apartments will be given to the families of military personnel who moved their families to Zhytomyr.
Construction of 56 houses for internally displaced persons is also underway. They are equipped with individual heat pumps and have modern furniture.
Work continues with the Portuguese government to restore the lyceum in Zhytomyr, which was damaged in the spring of 2022 as a result of a Russian attack.
“The work is going on. And we must understand that the war is going on and we will have to finish some things already after our victory. However, we continue to receive help from Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and other countries. So far, we have received many generators, gas-piston power plants,” the mayor of Zhytomyr emphasized.
See more in the video at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBxUWJt7YmM
