President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first-ever meeting in this format with city mayors and local government representatives. He announced this on his Telegram channel, as reported by RBC-Ukraine. According to the head of state, the purpose of the event was to coordinate the actions of the central government and regional administrations in the context of preparing for the winter period amid ongoing Russian strikes on critical and transport infrastructure.
First Dialogue Format: Who Participated
According to Zelenskyy, the meeting was the first of its kind. It was attended by the acting mayors of Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, and Rivne, the executive director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, the president of the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils, and the chairman of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration. The president emphasized that such events will now be held on a regular basis, which will systemize the exchange of information between the center and the regions.
Priorities: Energy, Sky Defense, and Communications Resilience
During the discussion, as Zelenskyy stated, the priority was preparing cities and communities for the winter period. "Energy, sky defense, internal security threats, communications resilience, and assistance to our people — all of this needs to be protected, restored, and ensured. We frankly discussed all the challenges that exist and may arise," RBC-Ukraine quotes the president as saying. Mayors and local council representatives discussed mechanisms for responding to these challenges at the central, regional, and municipal levels.
Prompt Information from Regions is a Key Condition
Zelenskyy focused on the need for a prompt flow of real information from every region and city. "The key is that real information about what is happening on the ground promptly flows from every region and city, and that there are corresponding decisions," he noted. According to him, joint work should lead to "real results for Ukrainian society and our state."
Context: Slow Recovery and Nighttime Strikes
Earlier, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, Zelenskyy pointed out that recovery after Russian strikes in Sumy and Kyiv oblasts is proceeding too slowly. In addition, a nighttime attack damaged energy facilities in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts. On November 7, an extremely difficult energy supply situation developed in Kyiv, causing interruptions in heat and water supply in the capital. It was against this backdrop that the meeting with mayors took on the character of an operational coordination meeting to ensure the resilience of urban infrastructure before the start of the full heating season.
