On May 19, 2025, Odessa's mayor, Gennady Trukhanov, visited the German city of Heidelberg, where an important event took place - the signing of a partnership agreement between the two cities. 

This agreement was signed by Gennady Trukhanov and the mayor of Heidelberg, Mr. Eckart Würzner. 

During his speech, the mayor of Odessa expressed gratitude to their German partners for their support, especially during the war that Ukraine is fighting for its independence. 

Gennady Trukhanov shared insights about the challenges Odessa faces during the war and emphasized the importance of international cooperation, particularly with German cities. 

“We are eager for collaboration and open to new initiatives. Together with Heidelberg, we plan to implement projects aimed at rehabilitating veterans, including through adaptive sports, as well as in cultural and educational sectors. We appreciate your solidarity and are confident that our partnership will exemplify unity among European cities,” stated the mayor of Odessa. 

Heidelberg provided Odessa with municipal and firefighting equipment, marking the first step in a broad collaboration discussed during the negotiations.