Odessa's mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, met with the Executive Coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperation Initiative (SECI), Mr. Michael Facecas.

During the discussion, Mr. Facecas noted that SECI is already actively collaborating with Kharkiv and Mykolaiv. He also familiarized himself with the situation in Odessa and expressed interest in establishing a partnership with the city administration.

The parties discussed coordination strategies for joint efforts, relevant challenges, and the humanitarian and technical needs of the city. International partners are ready with proposals aimed at enhancing Odessa's energy independence.

The meeting gained special attention due to the presence of Austrian politician, journalist, and royal descendant, Mr. Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, who visited Odessa for the first time with his wife. Mr. Habsburg-Lothringen expressed hope for regular visits, emphasizing his family’s historical ties to Ukraine.

The goals of the SECI Initiative include:

• stabilizing crisis regions with support from international organizations and partner countries;
• creating effective mechanisms for regional cooperation to address transnational challenges;
• facilitating the integration of regional countries into European and global economic and social processes.