17–18 November 2024, Munich — This week, the City of Munich opened its doors to welcome the first in-person meeting of the SUN4Ukraine Partnership Programme, uniting Ukrainian Flagship Municipalities with Mission Cities from across Europe. The energy in the room was unmistakable: cities ready to learn, share and build a climate-neutral future together in a spirit of solidarity and friendship.
These two milestone days officially launched the SUN4Ukraine Partnership Programme, connecting 12 Ukrainian Flagship Municipalities with 12 EU Mission Cities and 2 Advisory Mission Cities. The ultimate goal of the programme is to accelerate climate-neutrality planning through exchange of hard-won expertise and to align Ukrainian recovery strategies with the ambitious goals of the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.
A Warm Welcome Sets the Stage
Participants arrived in Munich on 17 November, kicking off the programme with an informal gathering at SAG MIR, a vibrant Ukrainian community café and bookshop. From there, the group headed together to Munich's flagship celebration, "Munich's Path to Climate Neutrality," where the city was awarded the prestigious EU Mission Label, a testament to its leadership in climate action.
Prof. Harald Lesch (astrophysicist, philosopher and science journalist) and Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General, European Commission, delivered inspiring keynote addresses, whilst Christine Kugler, Head of Climate and Environmental Protection, and Roman Mendle, Head of Munich Climate Mission, at the City of Munich, shared insights on turning ambition into reality. The evening was about collaboration, solidarity and shared determination, the perfect launch pad for the intensive work ahead.
A Day of Action and Partnership Building
On 18 November, Munich's historic Rathaus became the hub for strategic thinking, mutual learning and hands-on planning. Hosted by Dominik Krause, Deputy Mayor of Munich, and the City Council's Commission for European and International Affairs, the day showcased the transformative power of cities working together.
Ukrainian representatives, including Skalskyy and Nataliia Kholchenkova from Chernihiv, brought the challenges and triumphs of their cities to life. Despite running schools, hospitals and public services under relentless bombing, these municipalities are actively charting their course towards a climate-neutral future in the EU. Their resilience is extraordinary, their ambition, infectious.
"You cannot select your neighbour, but you can choose your friend", declared Vladyslav Skalskyy, Vice-Mayor of Vinnytsia, Ukraine—a sentiment that captured the spirit of genuine partnership filling the room.
Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General, European Commission, André Sobczak, Secretary General, Eurocities and Christine Kugler, Head of Climate and Environmental Protection, City of Munich, reinforced a powerful message: municipal cooperation isn't just helpful for Ukraine's green reconstruction and Europe's climate mission, it's essential.
Two-Way Streets and Shared Wisdom
The panel "Bridging Green Futures: EU Urban Innovation Meets Ukrainian Resilience" sparked dynamic conversations about what genuine partnership looks like. Mission Cities shared their experiences with Climate City Contracts, whilst Ukrainian municipalities brought hard-earned expertise in resilience and adaptive emergency management. The takeaway was clear, SUN4Ukraine isn't a one-way transfer of knowledge, it's a partnership between equals where everyone learns, everyone contributes and everyone benefits.
Building Roadmaps, Forging Partnerships
During the afternoon participants dived into the practical mechanics of the Partnership Programme. Facilitators from the SUN4Ukraine consortium were guiding cities through the process of co-creating learning roadmaps and keeping everything grounded in practical, achievable climate action.
In the historic Ratstrinkstube and Grütznerstube rooms of the Munich City Hall, the real work began. Each Ukrainian Flagship Municipality sat down with its Mission City counterpart to hammer out their shared learning roadmap. The discussions were lively, ideas flowed freely and city pairs connected to identify:
Top priorities for climate-neutrality planningThemes for study visits and online exchangesAreas where each city brings valuable knowledge to the table
The day wrapped up with each pair presenting their early partnership objectives—ambitious yet realistic, visionary yet grounded. The atmosphere buzzed with possibility: a rock-solid foundation for two years of structured cooperation, continuous learning and tangible climate action.
Every Ukrainian municipality and Mission City left Munich with clarity, purpose and momentum.
The journey has begun.
