On September 10, 2026, the Switzerland-Ukraine Municipal Cooperation Forum was held in Basel, focusing on the development of partnerships between Ukrainian and Swiss cities and the implementation of joint projects to rebuild and strengthen the resilience of communities, according to the Embassy of Ukraine to the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
The forum brought together representatives of central and local authorities from Ukraine and Switzerland, as well as relevant organizations from both countries. It was jointly organized by the Swiss government, the cities of Basel, Bern, and Zurich, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland, the Ukrainian Association of Switzerland, and the Support and Recovery Platform.
Konradin Kramer, President of the Government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt; Iryna Venediktova, Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland; Vitaliy Bezgin, Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine; and Jacques Herber, the Swiss Federal Council’s delegate for Ukraine, delivered welcoming remarks to the participants.
Under the slogan “Building Partnerships. Achieving Results,” participants discussed the transition from inter-municipal contacts to specific investment and infrastructure projects. The main areas of cooperation identified were energy supply and energy efficiency, water infrastructure, local governance, and the development of public services.
The forum’s program included two panel discussions—one on the political foundations of municipal partnerships in reconstruction and the other on practical models for implementing such projects. Separate City Labs working sessions were held, during which representatives of Ukrainian and Swiss cities jointly developed specific proposals for further cooperation.
Municipal partnerships are one of the areas of Switzerland’s long-term support for Ukraine. The Swiss cooperation program with Ukraine for 2025–2028 specifically provides for support to local and regional authorities in the reconstruction and modernization of urban infrastructure and the provision of basic services, particularly in the areas of transportation, energy, water supply, healthcare, and education.
Swiss cities are already participating in practical projects in Ukraine. In particular, Basel is transferring up to 25 trams to Lviv as part of a program that Switzerland is funding with CHF 2.5 million from 2024 to 2028. Previously, Bern also donated trams to Ukraine.
Switzerland views the development of direct ties between cities as one of the mechanisms for Ukraine’s reconstruction. The country’s national program notes that Vinnytsia, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv, among others, have previously expressed interest in partnerships with Swiss cities.
Holding the forum in Basel is intended to facilitate the transition from general agreements between communities to specific joint projects that can leverage Swiss technology, municipal expertise, and funding for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure.
