The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories has approved a unique agreement: five Ukrainian communities from different regions will cooperate with one Polish town. This is an attempt to create a multilateral format of interaction, where each party has something to share and learn.

The Order approving the draft agreement on mutual cooperation between five Ukrainian communities and administrations and the town of Grybów in the Republic of Poland has been published on the website of the Ministry for Development.

The Ukrainian party includes:

• Velyki Luchky Village Council (Mukachevo district, Zakarpattia region);
• Myrne Village Military Administration (Donetsk region);
• Chornobaivka Village Military Administration (Kherson region);
• Mariinka Village Military Administration (Donetsk region);
• Petropavlivka Settlement Council (Dnipropetrovsk region).

The Polish partner is the town of Grybów, a small historic town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship with a population of about 6,000, known for its agricultural and craft traditions.

The ‘one town – five partners’ format seems unusual, but there is a logical explanation for it. Grybów has a unique opportunity to work not with one community, but with several different regions of Ukraine at once:

• Access to different contexts. Zakarpattia region has tourism and agricultural potential, Dnipropetrovsk region has industrial experience, and Donetsk and Kherson regions are territories that will require large-scale restoration. For the Polish partner, this is an opportunity to better understand the needs of different parts of Ukraine.
• Participation in restoration. Mariinka, Chornobaivka, and Myrne are communities that have suffered significant destruction. After de-occupation, they will be rebuilt from scratch, which opens up opportunities for attracting international aid, grants, and investments. Grybów, as a partner town, can join these processes.
• Humanitarian mission. For the residents of a small Polish town, cooperation with specific Ukrainian communities is an opportunity to help not an abstract ‘Ukraine’, but people with whom they have established direct contacts.

For the Ukrainian partners, the partnership with the Polish town means access to European experience and development tools:

• Experience in managing small communities. Polish cities have learned to manage budgets effectively, attract EU funds, and implement local development projects. For the Petropavlivka and Velyki Luchky communities, this is an opportunity to adopt ready-made mechanisms.
• Agrarian experience. Lesser Poland Voivodeship is famous for its agricultural traditions. Grybów probably has experience in the development of agricultural cooperation, processing, and the creation of local food brands. This is particularly relevant for the Velyki Luchky and Petropavlivka communities, where the agricultural sector is the basis of the economy.
• Preparation for recovery. For Mariinka, Myrne, and Chornobaivka, it is important to have experience in planning reconstruction, working with international funds, and organising life in communities that are experiencing a crisis.
• Opportunities for training. Employees of military administrations and local councils could intern in Grybów, learning how public services, educational institutions, and administrative service centres work in a small European town.

The draft agreement has been approved by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Now, after receiving official notification from the Ministry for Development, communities can prepare to sign the document.

This case could set a precedent for a new format of international cooperation, in which partners are united by shared needs and opportunities rather than acting in isolation.