On 24 June 2026, the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine convened a political-level meeting in Gdańsk, held as a formal side event to the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 (URC2026). Gathering on the eve of the conference, the political leadership of the Alliance came together to set the scene for the local and regional dimension of URC2026.
The meeting brought together all relevant EU and Ukrainian local and regional authorities’ associations and key partners, as well as cities and regions actively involved in Ukraine’s reconstruction, to coordinate joint efforts for a decentralised and sustainable recovery aligned with Ukraine’s EU integration.
The Alliance, which counts among its members the leading Ukrainian and European associations of local and regional authorities (LRAs), has consistently championed a decentralised approach to reconstruction, one that places cities and regions at the heart of the recovery effort and ensures that local communities have a meaningful voice in shaping their own futures.
Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA’s Secretary General, represented the organisation at the meeting, bringing ALDA’s expertise and perspective to the fore. Her participation underscores ALDA’s commitment to a multilevel, community-driven approach to Ukraine’s recovery.
“ALDA is very much working with a multilevel approach in Ukraine. Resilience and good governance, which are key to the Reconstruction, should be built on these different layers, creating a community-to-community approach that involves authorities, but also CSOs, the education sector and more.”
Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General
Central to the meeting was the adoption of a Joint Statement by the Alliance’s 100 partners, setting out concrete recommendations for donor action and support. The Statement reaffirms the Alliance’s firm commitment to a decentralised approach to both the reconstruction of Ukraine and its EU accession process, and signals a united call to place local and regional authorities at the centre of international recovery efforts.
The Statement:
- Recognises that Ukrainian municipalities and regions have been at the core of Ukraine’s resilience, providing emergency response, maintaining infrastructure, strengthening energy and water resilience, and acting as operational hubs for humanitarian assistance, all whilst preparing for a sustainable future.
- Calls on institutional partners to recognise local and regional authorities as strategic partners and integral decision-makers in the planning and governance of reconstruction support.
- Urges donors to allocate ring-fenced and transparent funding for local and regional development, including direct access to finance and dedicated technical assistance, and encourages greater use of tools such as the DREAM platform to prioritise and match investment projects at the local level.
- Stresses that local self-government and decentralisation are fundamental pillars of Ukraine’s path to recovery and EU accession, and calls for stronger, structured dialogue between local and regional authorities and the Ukraine Donor Platform.
The full statement is available here.
