Ukraine — Moldova: Communities That Unite Across Borders

The forum “Ukraine — Moldova: Inter-municipal and Cross-border Partnership,” launched by the Institute of Danube Studies on September 19, is steadily growing into a genuine platform for common action. In Odesa, the dialogue was continued with a meeting between Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov and the leaders of Moldovan communities — Oleksandr Buzorean (Leova), Veronica Mocan (Tudora), and Vladislav Cociu (Ștefan Vodă).

This was not just a ceremonial exchange of greetings. The parties addressed shared challenges on the road to European integration. Leova’s mayor, Oleksandr Buzorean, presented the specific features of Moldova’s ongoing administrative-territorial reform — a process that, like Ukraine’s decentralization, is reshaping governance and strengthening local leadership. The agenda also included energy resilience, transport corridors, infrastructure modernization, and security. At the heart of the discussion was the search for solutions grounded in trust, solidarity, and common European values.

The meeting carried a deeply human dimension:

• Veronica Mocan reminded that her border community of Tudora has taken in twice as many Ukrainian refugees as its own population since the start of the full-scale war — and continues to provide support to this day.

• Vladislav Cociu, mayor of Ștefan Vodă, personally organized and delivered humanitarian aid to Ukraine, maintaining constant contact with Ukrainian municipalities.

These stories illustrate that partnership is not only about protocols or memoranda — it is built on trust, mutual help, and shared responsibility. Ukrainian and Moldovan communities are showing that European integration is not an abstract idea, but a lived experience rooted in solidarity.

As Moldova heads into parliamentary elections this Sunday, the symbolism is powerful: all three Moldovan leaders present are running as candidates from the Liga Orașelor și Comunelor (LOC). Local leaders — the ones closest to people’s daily lives — are stepping into national politics as genuine agents of change.

The Institute of Danube Research expressed its support to Moldovan colleagues, stressing that the strongest state policies begin at the local level, and true European integration happens where people see real results in their communities.