Ukraine's Recovery Begins in Communities

Ukraine's recovery will not happen only at the level of grand strategies and international plans. Its true strength grows in neighborhoods, communities, and smaller regions. This message was brought to Brussels at the end of March by the team of the Partnership for Sustainable Ukraine Recovery along with Ukrainian representatives of local governments and institutions.

At the end of March 2026, the Partnership for Sustainable Ukraine Recovery (P4UA) team, together with Ukrainian local leaders, set off for early spring Brussels. During several intense days, dozens of meetings, interviews, and debates took place, but one crucial question hung over everything: what should functional recovery of Ukraine look like?

“The answer kept coming back again and again. Recovery does not start in centers of power but where people live — in communities, neighborhoods, and smaller regions. This is where daily decisions are made that directly impact people's lives. Trust, support, and funding must be directed precisely there.”  — Miroslav Kundrata, Strategic Director of the Partnership Foundation.

Seeking Answers

This topic strongly resonated during the Sustainable Recovery of Ukraine from Bottom Up seminar hosted by the European Committee of the Regions. Ukrainian mayors, ministry representatives, EU institution officials, business leaders, and experts from member states gathered around one table. It was not only about sharing experiences. A simple yet fundamental question came into focus again: how to provide support where it can truly make a difference.

Here, the strength of the LEADER method was evident — an approach based on trust in local people, their knowledge of the environment, and responsibility for their own development.

Brussels was more than a place for arguments and systemic debates. The Partnership Foundation brought people here. People who, even amidst war, carry responsibility for their communities and make decisions daily with real impact. Participants of the P4UA program included Sviatoslav Surma, Iryna Pukalova, and Maksym Chopei. The discussion was also enriched by Mykola Moroz from Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, and young mayor Bohdan Kelychavyi, who also served as moderator.

The debate was followed by signing a Memorandum of international cooperation emphasizing decentralization and a greater role for regions and communities. Programs like Ukraine Facility were also discussed, along with the need to strengthen the flow of funds directly to places where recovery truly happens — not just on paper.

New European Alliances

One of the strongest moments of the trip was connecting European partners from countries such as France, Czechia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Germany, who are involved in implementing the LEADER method in Ukraine. Thanks to this collaboration, these countries no longer seek their path alone but start to find it together.

This emerging coalition could significantly shape community-led development in Ukraine in the coming years. Alongside a joint seminar, many follow-up talks with EU institutions, directorates general, and key partners also contributed. These open the way for concrete steps — from funding to implementation to long-term partnerships.

The Brussels trip was not just about official programs and meetings. It was also about meaningful encounters. Moments when you realize that even in complex European agendas, it's still possible to speak straightforwardly, humanely, and with trust.

“From the Brussels trip, we take away not only new contacts and strengthened partnerships but also certainty that local communities are not alone in Ukraine’s recovery. There is a Europe that listens. There are people who want to make a difference. And recovery of Ukraine does not start sometime vaguely ‘after the war.’” — Lucie Řehoříková, coordinator of Ukraine recovery and development programs at the Partnership Foundation.

Change in Ukraine starts right now.
In small steps.
In concrete communities.
In decisions made by those who remain.

And that is its strength.