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European local and regional governments stand in support and solidarity with their peers in Ukraine

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In a statement issued by the CEMR on 24 February 2022, local and regional leaders across Europe, strongly condemn the multiple attacks and violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. They express their full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian people and their peers in local and regional government.

Expressing their views on the situation, CEMR President Stefano Bonaccini, CEMR Spokesperson on International Affairs Carola Gunnarsson and CEMR Executive President Jan van Zanen said: “We will not accept that our European values and integrity be attacked again by the Russian Federation after the violation of Georgian territories by Russia in 2008. We are firmly opposed to the dismemberment of a free and democratic state in Europe.”

They call on local and regional governments throughout Europe to endorse the statement by filling out this form.

To date, CEMR collected 795 signatures from 23 European countries.

The full statement:

We, local and regional leaders across Europe, strongly condemn the multiple attacks and violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. We express our full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian people and our peers in local and regional government. We will not accept that our European values and integrity be attacked again by the Russian Federation after the violation of Georgian territories by Russia in 2008. We are firmly opposed to the dismemberment of a free and democratic state in Europe.

The escalation of violence, repeated bombings and attacks on Ukrainian cities and territories are a serious threat to the preservation of peace and democracy across Europe. We call on the Federation of Russia to cease its attack, to leave the national territory of Ukraine, to respect all international treaties and fundamental principles of international law and to recognise the full sovereignty of Ukraine over all its territories, including Donbas and Crimea.

Firmly convinced of local democracy and city diplomacy, based on the values of peace that unite our municipalities across Europe since 1951, we stand by the Ukrainian municipalities, cities, hromadas, districts, raions and their representative associations. They are in the front line to protect the population and provide basic services to offer them good quality living conditions and daily survival. The destruction of infrastructure by the belligerents jeopardises the efficient and safe maintenance of basic public services provided by Ukrainian local and regional governments to their citizens.

As European local and regional governments, representing 60 national associations across 40 European countries, including Ukraine, we will continue to work to support them in their efforts. Not only are we ready to support our peers in the country with the materials and expertise they may need in the days and weeks to come. Municipalities and regions will probably have to face soon the human consequences of such a tragedy for Europe, probably resulting in a flow of humanitarian refugees. Coordination with our national governments will be essential. 

As the European section of UCLG, let us hope that city diplomacy will soon unite us all again!

European municipalities and regions stand by Ukrainian local governments

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In a declaration adopted on 14 February 2022, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions condemns unprovoked Russian military build-up on the Ukrainian border towns and regions and continued threats against Ukraine in recent months.

We express our deep concern over the current developments around Ukraine, which pose new threats to Ukraine and regional peace, security, and democracy.

Indeed, faced with the tense security situation, Ukrainian local governments are affected and obstructed from creating democratic development of their cities and regions, from proper functioning of local public services, and from taking care of their citizens. Furthermore, due to the tense security situation, implementation of decentralisation and public administration reforms could be restricted, which is categorically unacceptable.

We express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, local and regional governments, especially in the East of the country, who have suffered greatly since 2014 as a result of the war, and are now living under daily threats of the military offensive against Ukraine while simultaneously continuing to innovate and reform the country.

We reaffirm our full and unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine and all Eastern neighbourhood countries within their internationally recognized borders. These principles are enshrined in international agreements of which Russia is a signatory, form the basis of European security, and cannot be revised.

We welcome the European Commission’s recent emergency macro-financial assistance package to Ukraine. We urge the EU institutions and national governments to be united, speak with one voice, and strengthen assistance to the Ukrainian local governments. They are in direct contact with the citizens and continue to provide all public services under the threat of conflict and energy blackmail.

CEMR, with Europe’s municipalities and regions, will continue to support Ukrainian local and regional governments and their associations. We will continue supporting the development of Ukraine through its contribution to decentralised cooperation, the growth of city-to-city and region-to-region ties.

To know more about how local government works and operates in Ukraine, discover its country profile in our TERRI Report.