News co-operation Ukraine
Ukraine: civic leaders turn local ideas into projects through the “Initiative. Participation. Impact” programme
The Congress project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery” has successfully concluded the “Initiative. Participation. Impact” programme. Designed for civic leaders and civil society representatives from across Ukraine, the programme focused on...
Ukraine’s first metropolitan citizens’ assembly in Lviv delivers 19 recommendations to protect water resources
The Lviv Agglomeration has successfully concluded Ukraine’s first-ever metropolitan citizens’ assembly, organised with the Congress support and focused on the sustainable preservation and use of water resources. Over three intensive sessions of learning, deliberation and joint work, local...
Putting human rights at the heart of Ukraine’s local governance and recovery
Rebuilding Ukraine is about far more than restoring physical infrastructure; it is about embedding fundamental human dignity and rights into everyday local governance. This was the driving message in Kyiv on 2 July 2026, during the round table “Human Rights in Local Governance: Challenges and...
Congress Secretary General at URC: Local democracy is a prerequisite for resilience and recovery
“Ukraine’s decentralisation reform proved to be one of its greatest strategic assets during the full-scale invasion, allowing local leaders to safeguard utilities, protect communities, and co-ordinate immediate relief,” stated Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori at the Ukraine Recovery...
Future of district councils in Ukraine
On 17 June 2026, the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance (CEMG) at the Council of Europe Congress facilitated a “Strasbourg format” meeting on the role of district (rayon) councils in Ukraine, in the context of the ongoing reform of the division of competences between the state and...
Ukraine’s first metropolitan citizens’ assembly launched in Lviv
Ukraine continues strengthening its democratic foundations at local and regional level even under the strain of war. On 13–14 June 2026, residents of the Lviv Agglomeration gathered in Lviv for the first session of a citizens’ assembly focused on a shared challenge for this metropolitan area’s 13...
Congress delegation visits Kyiv to back Ukraine’s democratic resilience
A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, led by Cecilia Dalman-Eek, President of the Chamber of Regions (Sweden, SOC/G/PD), visited Kyiv on 25-26 May 2026. The mission aimed to strengthen political dialogue with Ukrainian authorities at all levels,...
Kyiv citizens’ assembly delivers 24 recommendations to support war veterans and their families
Kyiv’s Obolon district concluded a citizens’ assembly dedicated to supporting veterans and their families, one of the most pressing challenges faced by Ukrainian communities during the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine. After three weekends of deliberation, participants...
President Helgesen reaffirms the Congress’ commitment to continue assisting reforms in Ukraine
“Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction require empowering of local and regional authorities, which necessitates the pursuit of decentralisation reforms – reforms that have played a crucial role in Ukraine’s wartime resilience, enabling its subnational authorities to respond to unprecedented...
Rivne’s residents shape their city’s future: new citizens’ assembly launched in Ukraine
Despite the challenges of wartime, the Rivne community is proving that democracy does not wait for peace. On 28 March 2026, 45 randomly selected residents gathered for the launch of the community’s first-ever citizens’ assembly, a bold step towards shaping a future where the next generation...