On 20 May, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Poland’s Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.

The document marks a new stage in the strategic partnership between the two countries, focusing on regional development, decentralisation, management of EU funds, and joint efforts to enhance community safety.

A key aspect of the Memorandum is the transfer of Ukraine’s experience to Polish partners, particularly practical solutions developed during wartime. These include protecting civilians, rapidly restoring critical infrastructure, and ensuring regional resilience amid ongoing threats.

In return, Poland will provide expert support to Ukraine in preparing for participation in European structural funds, particularly under Chapter 22 of the EU membership negotiation process. Having effectively utilised EU funds for its own regional development, Poland will share this expertise with Ukraine.

Other areas of cooperation include:

• Implementing best practices of the EU’s cohesion policy in Ukraine;
• Supporting strategic planning at national, regional, and sub-regional levels;
• Developing a model for administering future European funds in Ukraine;
• Establishing a new spatial statistics system (NUTS);
• Involving Polish businesses in recovery projects through economic missions and regional investments.

“This is joint work towards a safe and sustainable future for both countries. We are preparing for full integration into European regional development programmes while sharing practical knowledge with our neighbours, proven effective in extremely challenging conditions,” said Oleksii Kuleba following the meeting.

The Memorandum will remain in effect until the end of 2030. Implementation will be coordinated at the level of deputy ministers and relevant departments of both countries.

Source: https://mindev.gov.ua