Another Step Toward European Integration for Khmelnytskyi
On June 25–26, the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2026) was held in Gdańsk, Poland, to strengthen international support for our country’s reconstruction and to stimulate investment in Ukrainian businesses. Focusing on the sectors most affected by Russian aggression—energy, critical infrastructure, and logistics—the Conference also placed greater emphasis on strengthening Ukraine’s security capabilities.
As a high-level platform for promoting investment, the URC brought together international investors to accelerate the conclusion of deals and lay the groundwork for long-term economic transformation. This high-profile event brought together a large number of participants, including heads of state and government, representatives of partner countries’ governments, members of national parliaments, international organizations and financial institutions, business leaders, and representatives of local governments and civil society organizations.
Khmelnytskyi Mayor Oleksandr Symchyshyn also attended the conference, where he held dozens of working meetings and panel discussions and met with prominent figures, including top politicians and friends of Ukraine. He shared the results of his trip with the residents of Khmelnytskyi on social media.
“We spent two days working at URC-2026 in Gdańsk. Dozens of working meetings, dozens of working panels, new connections, and a number of agreements,” said Oleksandr Symchyshyn. “As a result, we now have new opportunities in the areas of supporting the Armed Forces, infrastructure facilities, veteran rehabilitation, and the social sector. We’ve also established new programs and contacts aimed at attracting resources to the economy and the utilities sector.”
At URC-2026, I presented the potential of the Khmelnytskyi Industrial Park, as well as three major projects: a biogas complex at the wastewater treatment plant, a combined heat and power plant fueled by RDF and SRF (refuse-derived fuel), and a Sports Palace that includes facilities for veterans’ rehabilitation and adaptive sports.
On my way home, I would like to highlight several important meetings and conversations with influential European politicians and investors.
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris (2014–2026), was one of the first world leaders to visit Ukraine after February 2022. She consistently supports and assists Ukraine under all circumstances. She conveyed her greetings and admiration to all of you for the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their future.
We spoke with Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, about Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and the role of local self-government in European integration. Ms. Marta openly supports Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Incidentally, she complimented my vyshyvanka (a gift from “Charter” and Serhiy Zhadan).
My conversation with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski reinforces my conviction that our relations with the Polish people should be constructive and based on good neighborliness, grounded in mutual respect and assistance. I would like to add that I heard words of support from Poles throughout the URC 2026 and in everyday interactions as well. Pragmatism, mutual respect, and a clear understanding that we share a common enemy should bring us closer together.
With Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, we discussed support for the Ukrainian people, the possibility of establishing cooperation at the municipal level, humanitarian aid in the field of healthcare, and so on. We also discussed our joint projects that have already been implemented, as well as new ones we plan to carry out, with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso.”
Thus, the active participation of the Khmelnytskyi delegation in the conference will mark another successful step for our community toward European integration. After all, the event brought together like-minded individuals for open dialogue, the exchange of best practices, the establishment of partnerships, and the search for solutions to attract investment to Ukraine and, in particular, to Khmelnytskyi.