On 13 November, during the Rebuild Ukraine 2025 exhibition and conference in Warsaw, the Polaris: Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine Programme presented its approach and early results of cooperation with partner hromadas at a discussion on “Locally-led recovery and investment planning for a resilient Ukraine”. During the event, the Konotop hromada of Sumy Oblast and the Blyzniuky hromada of Kharkiv Oblast showcased how the local level is laying the foundations for sustainable recovery despite the challenges of the full-scale war.

Erik Faxgård, Programme Director at SALAR International, outlined Sweden’s perspective on supporting Ukraine and presented the key elements of the approach to locally-led recovery. He emphasised that Ukraine’s reconstruction begins in the hromadas, where decisions are made every day that shape the country’s long-term resilience:
“Sweden is convinced that sustainable recovery is built locally. Through the Polaris Programme, we work with hromadas to strengthen their capacity to plan development, collect and analyse data, engage residents, and set recovery priorities. Locally-led recovery is critically important for a resilient Ukraine on its path towards the European Union,” Erik Faxgård noted.

The Blyzniuky hromada highlighted the integration of internally displaced persons and the development of mobile services as key elements of its recovery planning. For the hromada, IDPs represent an important human resource for future growth. Accordingly, local authorities are adapting educational, medical and social services to the needs of new residents. As the hromada emphasised:
“Our main goal is for internally displaced people to choose our hromada and fully integrate into community life. We are adapting kindergartens, schools, hospitals and social services to their needs. The second aspect is what we call internal decentralisation: we are bringing social and administrative services closer to people through mobile services and remote workstations,” said Bohdan Bukhtatyi, First Deputy Head of the Blyzniuky Settlement Council.

Both hromadas also noted that support from the Polaris Programme helps them systematise planning, integrate spatial and strategic decision-making, develop quality investment programmes and prepare projects that are clear and understandable to international partners.

The Cities4Cities initiative will share more detailed insights from Rebuild Ukraine 2025 in a separate publication.