The NGOs Ecoaction and the Luhansk Regional Human Rights Center “Alternatyva” have been working with communities undergoing economic transformation for more than eight years, supporting them in identifying new development pathways and shaping long-term visions for the future. Within the framework of the project “Energy of the Future: New Opportunities”, implemented with the support of the UK Government through the British Embassy in Ukraine (FCDO), we work with coal, industrial, and other communities undergoing structural transformation across different regions of Ukraine.
Ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, these communities have developed a joint position on supporting industrial and vulnerable territories in Ukraine’s recovery process.
___________________
Ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, Ukrainian communities emphasise that the country’s reconstruction must address not only the consequences of the war, but also the long-term economic challenges faced by territories that are already undergoing, or will undergo, structural changes. This particularly concerns industrial, coal-dependent, and other vulnerable communities that face multiple pressures simultaneously, including destruction caused by the war, the loss of their economic base, declining employment opportunities, and the need to modernise their local economies.
Ukraine is already shaping the framework for the next phase of its regional development policy, including the preparation and adoption of a new State Regional Development Strategy. The current strategy expires next year and, according to government’s plans, the new strategy for 2028–2034 is expected to be approved by the end of June 2027. This process should reflect Ukraine’s EU integration commitments, including the reform of strategic planning at the national level and the principles and approaches of the European Union’s Cohesion Policy, particularly the place-based approach to territorial development.
In this context, the updated regional development policy of Ukraine should place a dedicated focus on communities undergoing structural transformation, ensuring that the needs of territories facing deindustrialisation, economic restructuring, the impacts of war, or risks of job losses are adequately reflected in policy design. It should also provide for the meaningful and systematic participation of communities in decision-making processes through appropriate institutional mechanisms and multi-level governance arrangements.
Policy reforms must also be accompanied by adequate financial instruments. The reform of the State Fund for Regional Development, together with other national and international funding programmes, should create dedicated opportunities for communities undergoing economic transformation. This includes targeted support for transformation projects, financing for project preparation, the use of blended finance instruments combining grants and loans, and direct, simplified access to funding opportunities for local communities. The State Fund should evolve into a tool not only for infrastructure recovery, but also for the long-term economic transformation and diversification of territories.
At the same time, public support mechanisms should reflect the diverse vulnerabilities faced by different communities. This includes territories affected by hostilities, frontline communities, municipalities dependent on a single employer or industry, industrial towns experiencing economic decline, as well as territories affected by decarbonisation. Support measures should therefore be designed not only to address the consequences of war, but also to mitigate long-term economic risks and facilitate the structural transformation of local economies.
Our communities are already driving recovery efforts and shaping new economic development pathways, and are ready to serve as active partners to the Government of Ukraine and international partners. More than 40 industrial communities from across the country are currently developing transformation projects and seeking implementation partners, yet they still lack dedicated policy and financing mechanisms to support these efforts at scale.
We call on the Government of Ukraine and international partners to embed clear policy and financial mechanisms supporting just transition of industrial territories as a distinct priority within the outcomes of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026. We believe that such commitments carry particular significance and symbolism in Gdańsk — a city that has successfully transformed from an industrial centre into a modern post-industrial economy, with a strong focus on renewable energy and sustainable development.
Signed by:
Zinovii Andriiovych Mayor of Nadvirna
Andrii Zalivskyi Mayor of Sheptytskyi
Anatolii Vershyna Mayor of Pavlohrad
Oleh Chupryna Head of Troitske Rural Community
Liliia Kryzhanovska Acting Mayor of Ternivka
Andrii Naida Mayor of Kalush
Oleksandr Honcharenko Head of the Kramatorsk City Military Administration
Vasyl Chynchyk Head of the Toretsk City Military Administration
Andrii Bondarenko Head of the Dobropillia City Military Administration
Serhii Dobriak Head of the Pokrovsk City Military Administration
Borys Karpus Mayor of Novovolynsk
Andrii Pankov Head of the Druzhkivka City Military Administration
Larysa Zamura Acting Head of the Petropavlivka Settlement Territorial Community
Anatolii Nemchenko Head of the Selydove City Military Administration
Oleksandr Saiuk Mayor of Nikopol