Live images from Kherson, under the constant threat of Russian military strikes. That is how the conference “Kherson, Free City: First-Hand Testimonies and Territorial Solidarity” ended on June 30, with a video address by Vitalii Bielobrov, deputy mayor of the city.
He shared a powerful account of the daily lives of civilians living under the constant threat of Russian drones carrying out what has become a real “human safari.” Daily shelling, strikes on critical infrastructure, and deliberate attacks on civilians have become part of everyday life. Despite this, the people of Kherson continue to demonstrate remarkable courage and resilience.
Organised by the Volya Association, the event once again highlighted the importance of partnerships between local authorities, building on the cooperation between Nantes, Saint-Nazaire, and Kherson. Today, Kherson remains the only Ukrainian regional capital to have been occupied by Russian forces, liberated, and still remain on the front line.
Aziliz Gouez, Vice-President of Nantes Métropole for European and International Affairs, presented the joint projects already carried out with Kherson, including the delivery of generators to keep the city’s water supply infrastructure operational and the organisation of respite stays in France for Ukrainian children. Natalyia Batrina, co-founder of the Volya Association, shared moving reflections on her recent visit near the front line, stressing that despite the hardships, life goes on. Youcef Gueril, co-founder of the association, announced that children from Kherson will travel to France this summer for a respite stay, providing another tangible example of this partnership in action.
Edward Mayor, President of Stand With Ukraine, emphasised that partnerships between municipalities are far more than symbolic—they have a real and practical impact. This is precisely the purpose of MistoMatch, the Franco-Ukrainian partnership programme led by Stand With Ukraine with the support of France Diplomacy and the Embassy of Ukraine in France.
Every day, MistoMatch strengthens cooperation between partner cities through study visits, exchanges of expertise, cultural projects, and practical initiatives. These include the delivery of generators through the DesLumièresPourLHiver initiative in partnership with Electriciens sans frontières, as well as the organisation of respite stays in France for Ukrainian children.
In recent months, the programme has also enabled the participation of a delegation of French mayors in the Summit of Cities and Regions in Kyiv, the participation of Ukrainian mayors in Urban7, the G7 of cities, held in Nancy, as well as visits by French mayors and local elected officials to Ukraine to witness first-hand the reality of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
To date, more than 130 French municipalities have joined the programme’s Charter of Commitment. Nantes and Saint-Nazaire continue to drive this momentum alongside dozens of other French local authorities.
A heartfelt thank you to the Volya Association, the City of Nantes, and everyone whose commitment keeps this cooperation alive and continues to support Ukraine.
