Call for Bristol to be twinned with Ukrainian city

Paul Goggin (L) calls for closer ties after meeting officials at Odesa City Hall

A councillor who has just returned from a trip to the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa is calling for it to have closer ties with Bristol.

Paul Goggin was in the city for six days in May and described residents as the "strongest people I have ever met".

Bristol is currently twinned with seven cities: Bordeaux, Hanover, Porto, Tbilisi, Puerto Morazan, Beira and Guangzhou.

Mr Goggin said the move would boost economic ties while also allowing for greater links between the two cities' universities.

The Ukrainian city of Odesa could be the eighth to be officially twinned with Bristol

It is now just over three years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country with Russian forces slowly expanding the amount of territory they control.

Mr Goggin, who represents Hartcliffe and Withywood for Labour, recently visited Odesa to see first-hand the effect the war has had on those living in the port city.

Speaking on BBC Radio Bristol, he compared the people he met to Londoners during World War Two and the blitz spirit that prevailed during that time.

Mr Goggin said: "People are going to work, doing jobs, but coming home and not knowing if their home is still going to be there or if today is the day when they get a call saying one of their loved ones has lost their life.

"They're the strongest people I have ever met."

During his trip he went to see a performance at the Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre which was interrupted by an air raid.

He said that while he was in the shelter "some of the performers came down and sang patriotic songs for us.

"It was truly moving and that was when I realised that Putin will never beat the Ukrainian spirit."

Mr Goggin described the city's residents as 'the strongest people I have ever met'

Mr Goggin explained how he was keen to see Bristol being formerly connected with Odesa as "we haven't twinned with another city for a quarter of a century".

To avoid the process putting extra pressure on Bristol City Council's finances he's now planning to raise the money to start the twinning process through independent sources, third parties and philanthropic organisations.

He believes it would create lasting economic benefits for Bristol.