In Rennes, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, President of the Brittany Region, welcomed Oleksandr Prokudin, Governor of Kherson Oblast, for the official signing of a cooperation agreement between the Brittany Region and Kherson Oblast.
This meeting, built on months of dialogue and concrete commitments, reflects a friendship that goes beyond borders.
Last October, Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine’s Ambassador to France, addressed members of the Brittany Regional Council to present the situation in Ukraine’s regions and launch a new phase of cooperation. This was followed by a constructive meeting in Paris between representatives of Brittany and Kherson.
Today, that cooperation has been formally established.
This is precisely the spirit of MistoMatch: creating direct, practical, and long-term partnerships between regions, cities, and local authorities—partnerships rooted in local communities and focused on the future.
This partnership goes far beyond a symbolic gesture. It brings together civil society, local associations, elected officials, and cultural and agricultural initiatives. Among them is the donation of Breton seeds to be planted in Kherson Oblast, creating a “Field of Friendship” that embodies solidarity, resilience, and scientific cooperation around crops adapted to local climate challenges.
Brittany’s support is also taking shape through concrete action. The association Kernic Solidarités has mobilised Breton fishermen and has already delivered more than 500 kilometres of fishing nets to the Kherson region to help protect roads and civilian infrastructure from Russian drone attacks. Last November, the volunteers met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, who praised their outstanding commitment. Additional humanitarian convoys are currently being prepared.
Several organisations actively supporting Ukraine also attended the signing ceremony, including Solidarité Bretagne-Ukraine, Unis pour l’Ukraine 56, and KAOL KOZH, which initiated the symbolic donation of organic heritage seeds.
Here in Brittany, Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression is deeply felt as a shared and just cause, sustained by genuine and enduring human solidarity.
Our sincere thanks to the Brittany Region, its elected representatives, associations, and citizens for their unwavering commitment to standing with Ukraine.
