In Prague, Kharkiv Mayor highlights vital Czech assistance to war-torn city

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said this in comments to an Ukrinform correspondent while visiting the Czech Republic.

He recalled his meeting last year with Czech President Petr Pavel, whom he described as a strong supporter of Ukraine, and emphasized Kharkiv’s close relations with the Czech Republic, particularly with the country’s second-largest city, Brno.

“For us, this partnership is extremely important, and the support from the Czech Republic is very significant. Much of what we are receiving from the Czech Republic today comes from our partner city. First and foremost, this includes transport – trolleybuses and trams. In addition, we are also receiving Czech support for our military,” the Mayor said.

He also mentioned other regions supporting Kharkiv. The largest assistance comes from Nuremberg, Kharkiv’s partner city in Germany. Other supporters include the U.S. cities of Dallas, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque, as well as French Lille, which hosts children for summer rehabilitation programs and provides generators. Terekhov also recently visited Baku, where discussions were held on “certain matters for the city of Kharkiv.”

Terekhov thanked all foreign partners who continue to visit the city despite the risks. He noted that people perceive the situation very differently when they witness it firsthand rather than through television reports or photographs.

Kharkiv Mayor also stressed the importance of platforms such as the international security forum GLOBSEC 2026 for informing the international community about the current situation in the city, the challenges it faces, and the kind of assistance it needs most urgently.

“We speak about this openly. Our cities need support. Frontline cities require special, individualized assistance. This is extremely important for us today. The issue we live with every day must not be pushed aside despite other global challenges, because that is exactly what our enemy is counting on. We need to be ambassadors for Ukraine and say clearly: today we are defending the entire world, so do not postpone the issue of supporting us until later, until someday,” the Mayor emphasized.

Terekhov spoke at a panel discussion during the forum and also held meetings with partners from various countries as well as journalists.

The GLOBSEC Forum 2026 is taking place in Prague from May 21 to 23.