Ukraine Remains the Main Priority of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

The Minister for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons met with Congress President Gunn Marit Helgesen.

The key topics of the meeting included:

Support for communities ahead of winter, with special attention to frontline territories.

The Carpathian Initiative: developing horizontal partnerships between regions and communities.

Temporarily occupied territories: preparing an updated strategy, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The Congress is ready to provide expert and financial support.

Decentralisation: completing the legal framework. Draft law No. 14412 is intended to clearly divide the powers of the state, regions and communities and is being prepared for its second reading.

The parties also agreed to hold a high-level dialogue in early 2027 on current issues of local self-government and support for Ukraine.

The Minister thanked Ms Gunn Marit Helgesen and the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities for its consistent support for Ukraine and readiness to continue cooperation.