Zhytomyr begins cooperation with the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area of Poland. The cooperation agreement was signed by Serhii Sukhomlyn, Mayor of Zhytomyr.

Two of Poland’s largest institutions — the Association of Polish Cities and the Union of Polish Metropolises — are entering Ukraine with a new project. This is a new initiative that involves linear cooperation, municipality to municipality.

The Zhytomyr City Council announced this on 9 November 2022

“We are committed to actual cooperation rather than some promotion campaign. We are talking about a long-term process,” Piotr Grzelak, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, said at the meeting.

The agreement with the Metropolitan Area will provide for cooperation on municipal utility infrastructure. The main goal is the comfort of every resident of the municipality. In the first stage, upon the signing of the Agreement, working groups are to be created between the local self-government bodies of Poland and Ukraine.

“Ukraine will win, and the next issue on the agenda for you is reconstruction and joining the EU. Poland was a leader in the development of European investments. Both in quantity and in quality. Therefore, we can share our experience with Ukrainian cities. Why municipalities? Because the majority of investments go through local self-government bodies,” said Jacek Bendykowski, Head of the Gdańsk Foundation.

It should be noted that Gdańsk is the city that has hosted the second biggest number of Ukrainians per population.

“There are three important directions of cooperation: provision of generators, because Russia is targeting the energy infrastructure. We have already handed over generating stations to Trostianets and Kupiansk. Utility equipment, garbage trucks, water supply vehicles, since when the Armed Forces force out the enemy, the de-occupied cities have nothing left; the enemy takes everything away. Most of the aid we receive is passed on to the cities that need it the most. Finally, the third direction is modular boiler houses and other boiler facilities that can replace gas,” said Serhii Sukhomlyn.

On 22 November 2022, representatives of the 12 largest cities in Poland will gather at the Forum of the Union of Polish Metropolises, where proposals for cooperation with Ukrainian cities will be voiced.

Since May of this year, Zhytomyr has established twinning relations with two more cities, the Polish city of Gdynia and the Czech city of Pardubice. In addition, the city of Noblesville (Indiana, USA) offered a twinning agreement to Zhytomyr.

In March, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine initiated the International Marathon of Local Governments aimed at drawing the attention of municipalities around the world to the tragedy of Ukrainian municipalities and boosting the process of establishing sisterly relations.