What Europe can learn from Ukraine’s resilient cities
Ukrainian mayors and city representatives shared their experiences in maintaining urban services during crises with European partners at a round table organized by Eurocities and the City of Oslo.
Ukrainian cities are navigating the challenge of maintaining essential services like electricity, water, heating, and public transport under wartime conditions. Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych highlighted the risks of centralized infrastructure, noting that his city shifted to 260 decentralized water distribution points equipped with diesel generators, batteries, and solar panels to ensure reliability.
Representatives from Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Novovolynsk, Lviv, and Kalush discussed the necessity of identifying vulnerable residents, maintaining communication channels, and developing local energy solutions. Gathered under the EU-funded SUN4Ukraine project, participants emphasized that climate action and crisis preparedness are interconnected, and that decentralization is key to urban resilience.