The leadership of the Polaris Programme and SALAR International met with the Mayor of Kharkiv and Head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities, Ihor Terekhov.
During this initial meeting, the discussion focused on cooperation between Ukrainian hromadas and municipalities in Sweden, concentrating on specific areas: infrastructure recovery, energy security, education, and ensuring the uninterrupted provision of services to citizens.
Ihor Terekhov emphasised that European experience with grants is extremely important for frontline hromadas. Through partnerships with European municipalities, Ukrainian hromadas can more effectively attract funding, which is critically needed both during the war and in the recovery period.
As a result of the meeting, the parties confirmed their intention to develop cooperation in the areas of recovery, education, and strengthening local self-government capacity.
The meeting took place within the Nordic-Ukrainian Partnership Forum, where Ihor Terekhov participated in the panel “Municipal Partnerships as Engines for European Integration”, sharing the key requests and priorities of frontline hromadas when engaging with international partners.
