A notable meeting of the regional branch of the Association of Cities of Ukraine was held in Odesa. The event was chaired by the city's mayor, Hennadiy Trukhanov. Executive Director of the Association, Oleksandr Slobozhan, and advisor to the head of the Association, Oksana Prodan, also participated in the event.
 
The main aim of the meeting was to discuss critical issues concerning local self-government, specifically:

• challenges in budget policies and financial processes;  
• prospects for creating agglomerations as a tool for regional development;  
• changes in legislation, particularly the abolition of the Economic Code and the introduction of the usufruct mechanism;  
• ways to attract investments, particularly through the European Investment Platform Ukraine Facility.  

 
The importance of community cohesion and unity was also emphasized.

«The strength of our communities lies in unity. Cohesion gives us the power to overcome any obstacles. We face daily challenges that our residents encounter, and we feel their need for support. Local self-government lays a strong foundation for state building. It is crucial that decisions are made based on the real needs of communities», — noted Hennadiy Trukhanov.