URC-Resilient Cities in Ukraine: Pathways to Sustainable Growth
Location: GRANO HOTEL Gdańsk Riverside, Toruńska 12, 80-747 Gdańsk, Poland.
Data and time: 24 June 2026, 13:30 – 17:00 (up to 100 participants)
Organized by: UN4UkrainianCities Initiative (UNECE) together with the Kharkiv City Council and the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities
Goal: Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities through Recovery Support and International Partnerships
Background
This event will serve as a platform for advancing Ukraine’s urban recovery through the mobilization of financing, strengthening partnerships, and promoting integrated long-term development approaches. During the event, a portfolio of strategic recovery initiatives developed within the framework of the UN4UkrainianCities Initiative and other programmes will be presented. The event will also showcase pilot examples demonstrating how innovative, scalable, and investment-ready solutions can be developed and implemented in practice.
As a leading example, frontline cities will present concrete projects and approaches illustrating the transition from emergency recovery to long-term sustainable growth. The city’s experience will demonstrate how municipalities can develop bankable project portfolios, attract financing, and implement integrated solutions in key sectors such as housing and critical infrastructure.
Supporting frontline cities today is critically important to ensure the continuity of essential services, protect communities, and prevent further economic decline. Targeted financing and timely assistance not only address urgent needs, but also lay the foundation for resilient and sustainable urban development in the future.
By bringing together representatives of national and local authorities, international financial institutions, development partners, and the private sector, the event will facilitate dialogue on aligning recovery priorities with financing opportunities. It will also highlight how the lessons learned and experience of Kharkiv and other frontline cities can be replicated and scaled across other Ukrainian municipalities, contributing to a broader model for resilient and sustainable urban recovery.
Event Format
The program will include welcoming coffee, opening remarks, brief thematic presentations, interactive discussions and networking opportunities. The event will also feature the signing of cooperation agreements and bilateral meetings between stakeholders.
Target Groups
Agenda
Registration, welcoming coffee
Welcoming remarks and session objectives
- Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary, UNECE
- Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director, UN-Habitat
- Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
- Masashi Nakagome, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine
- Andrejs Pildegovičs, Ambassador of Latvia to Ukraine
- Matthias Schmale, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ukraine
- Antje Kästner, Senior Policy Officer, Ukraine at German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister, Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine
- Irina Paliashvili, President & CEO, U.S. – Ukraine Business Council
- Paweł Żaboklicki, Secretary General, Union of the Baltic Cities
- Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, Head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities of Ukraine
Moderator:
Presentation of the UN4UkrainianCities Initiative:Vision, Partnerships and Investment-Ready Recovery Projects
- Thamara Fortes, Project Manager of UN4UkraininanCities, UNECE
- Francesca Pintus, Associated Director, Oneworks Foundation
- Dario Liguti, Director of the Energy, Housing and Land Management Division, UNECE
City Preparedness as a Foundation for Financing Housing and Infrastructure Recovery Projects
Voices from Frontline Cities
- Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, Head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities of Ukraine
- Viktor Shakyrzian, Acting Mayor of Rivne, Secretary of the Rivne City Council
- Anton Tabunshchyk, Chair of the Mykolaiv Regional Council; Vice President for Development and Infrastructure, Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils
- Sergii Korenev, Deputy Mayor of Mykolaiv
- Patrick Molinoz, Member of the European Committee of the Regions and Vice-President of the Region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
International Partnerships for Urgent Response and Sustainable Recovery
Presentation
- Georgii Laptii, Municipal Enterprise “Kharkiv Heating Networks”, Kharkiv City Council
Panel Discussion I: Financing Resilience and Recovery - Government and International Financial Institution Support
- Harry Boyd-Carpenter, Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group, EBRD
- Kristina Mikulova, Head of Regional Hub for Eastern Europe, EIB
- Joost Möhlmann, Head of Section for Energy, Reconstruction, Infrastructure and Environment, EU Delegation to Ukraine
- Priska Depnering, Head of Section Global Portfolio and Ukraine, Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
- Emma Foley, Head of Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction, Department for Transport, United Kingdom
- Miriam Faulwetter, Head of GIZ Ukraine Energy & Climate Cluster
Panel Discussion II: United Nations Support for Communities on the Frontline
- Anne-Claire Dufay, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine
- Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth, UNHCR Representative in Ukraine
- Marysia Zapasnik, Deputy Country Director and Head of Programme, UNOPS
Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Recovery:
MoU and Agreement Signing Ceremony
- EBRD Loan and Grant Statement on Financing of Investment Project for Kharkiv
- MoU on Cooperation between UNICEF and Kharkiv City Council