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12.06.2025
French Chaumont and Ukrainian Lubotyn in Kharkiv region become twin cities
On 6 June 2025, during the 3rd International Summit of Cities and Regions held in Kyiv, an official partnership was signed between the city of Lubotyn (Kharkiv region, Ukraine) and Chaumont (Grand Est region, France).
The partnership became possible thanks to the initiative of the French civil society organisation Stand with Ukraine and its president Edward Mayor, who also serves as an honorary Ambassador of Cities’ Friendship for the Cities4Cities initiative. The partnership becomes part of the Cities4Cities twinning network, supported by the Polaris Programme.
Prior to the signing, Christine Guillemy, Mayor of Chaumont, and intern Eliott Rivory-Pons visited Lubotyn — a frontline Ukrainian city that continues to live, work, and develop despite the devastating consequences of war.
“I witnessed how inventive this city is. Despite the war, the mayor and their team found resources so that people could live, work, study, and children could smile. In France, we too have much to learn from Ukrainians — their resilience, dignity, and democracy,” — Christine Guillemy.
This is Lyubotyn’s first sister city. Leonid Lazurenko, Mayor of Lubotyn, expressed his gratitude to the French people and emphasised the importance of European support for Ukraine’s future:
“It takes courage for the Mayor of Chaumont to visit a city so close to the front line. France is a country with a strong democratic tradition, and for us, it is vital to have such a partner. Ukraine has chosen the path of democracy, and with the support of countries like France, we will win. We will become a strong, civilised, democratic state. Today marks the beginning of a new story of friendship with Chaumont.”
Key areas of cooperation between the two communities include cultural, educational, and youth exchanges, the preservation of historical memory, local democracy, and support for recovery efforts.
As part of this partnership, the two sides are also exploring the possibility of a Ukrainian delegation visit to Chaumont, with a focus on youth and intercultural dialogue.
Cities4Cities is an international initiative that brings together municipalities in Ukraine and the EU to build sustainable intermunicipal partnerships and exchange experience. Cities4Cities is implementing the “International Municipal Cooperation” sphere of the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine”, funded by Sida and implemented by SALAR International.