That’s why Swiss cities rarely partner with Ukrainian communities. In Tel Aviv alone, some 160,000 Israelis take to the streets against judicial reform.

Since last August, the German city of Bergisch Gladbach has maintained a partnership with the Ukrainian city of Bucha, the Kiev suburb that has become world famous for a mass murder of civilians. Shortly after the outbreak of war, Cologne entered into a partnership with the western Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi. And the central German city of Jena declared itself a sister city of Browarys last fall.

These are just three of dozens of examples of how communities in Germany are involved in partnerships in Ukraine. They are financially supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The aim is that the German communities can provide their Ukrainian partner communities with relief items such as clothing, tents, bandages and generators. On the other hand, it is about “showing solidarity” with the communities in Ukraine, as the German Development Cooperation Minister stressed in a speech a few months ago.

Swiss cities do not have partnerships

At the reconstruction conference in Lugano, it was emphasized, among other things, that such town twinning is also important for the post-war period. This took place last July. But in Switzerland the call has not yet borne fruit, according to an overview of various cities and associations.

The Association of Cities states that it is up to the individual members to investigate such partnerships. These hold back. For example, the city of Lucerne writes on request that no attempts are currently being made to establish a partnership with a Ukrainian community. The reason: “The city council believes that development aid in Ukraine should be coordinated throughout Switzerland.”

Something similar can be learned from Basel. Instead of a partnership, the “focus is on urgent emergency relief on the ground”, for which money has already been pledged. Zurich also points out that the city has repeatedly provided humanitarian aid and shown solidarity with the people of Ukraine “since the beginning of the war”. A partnership is currently not an issue.

In Bern, on the other hand, people generally don’t think too much of town twinning. Instead, the focus is on cooperation on specific projects, as Mayor Alec von Graffenried communicates when asked. “As soon as the time comes and the federal government can say more precisely how Switzerland wants to participate in the reconstruction, we as communities can take up specific projects together with Ukrainian communities.”

Ukrainian communities are looking for partners

On the other hand, there is a desire for twinning on the part of Ukraine. As Claudia Kratochvil from the municipal association confirms, the Ukrainian municipal association reached its Swiss counterpart on the sidelines of the Lugano conference. The Ukrainian municipalities have started an initiative with the aim of entering into partnerships with municipalities in other countries. Greenpeace also provides a platform for communities to network. According to Roland Gysin, efforts at cantonal and municipal level are currently lacking: “Sustainable reconstruction in Ukraine is central, and the cantons and municipalities can and must also contribute to this.”

When asked, the Development and Cooperation Directorate (Deza), headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Cassis, pointed out that it was not possible to comment on projects that “fell within the competence of the municipalities and cities”. Nevertheless, Switzerland’s international cooperation depends on “broad public support”. The commitment of the Swiss communities “is of course very important”.

After all: in two Swiss cities things are slowly getting going due to political progress. In Zug, the parliament has instructed the city council to “provide targeted support to a city in Ukraine and, if circumstances permit, to make this city a sister city”. Zug should set an example so that other Swiss and European communities also adopt such partnerships. This approach found imitators in Baar: on the anniversary of the outbreak of the war, a motion was tabled that provides for a town twinning with a city in the Ukraine.