York and Lviv partnership talks focus on future

York councillors Claire Douglas (right) and Katie Lomas (second left) met Ukrainian officials for further talks on forming a partnership

Plans to link York with the Ukrainian city of Lviv could help to shape a "thriving and resilient future for both cities", York's council leader has said.

Claire Douglas made the comments after further talks took place to arrange a relationship between the two cities.

The process remains unfinished three years after councillors first backed calls for York to adopt Lviv as its sibling, just months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The agreement could see the two cities share expertise on rail, military education and emergency planning, the council said.

Sisterhood status sees cities work closely together on areas including culture, education, business and other issues, according to Sister Cities International.

York and Lviv both have UNESCO Creative City and World Heritage designations.

A total of 416 Ukrainians have sought refuge in York since the start of the war in 2022 up to December, according to government figures.

Recent talks saw officials discuss how they could build on Lviv's ambition to become a European transport hub with the help of York's links and expertise including in civil engineering.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), York's rail technology sector and its railway heritage could offer insights for Lviv to support its transport expansion as part of the partnership.

Joint business summits were also discussed to grow links between firms which several York companies have already established with those based in Lviv.

Plans for York to adopt Lviv as a sister city began in 2022

York has committed to humanitarian aid including supporting relief missions to Lviv and Dnipro and helping arrivals from Ukraine with housing, education and work.

Douglas said York's economic strengths were tools the city could share to help rebuild and empower Lviv.

The council leader said: "York's rail innovation and civil engineering are not just local assets.

"This partnership is about more than solidarity, it's about action."

Lviv's mayor Andriy Sadovyi said co-operation with York and the desire to share experiences in areas of critical importance for his city were highly valued.

The official said: "This is not just about exchanging ideas, but about real joint projects.

"In particular, we are considering opportunities to launch initiatives in the railway sector, develop urban infrastructure, and participate in programmes related to rehabilitation and sustainability."

Chris Cullwick, York's lord mayor when the sisterhood process began, said progress was welcome but the council needed to go further and formalise the relationship to send a "clear message" that the city's support for Ukraine is "not temporary".

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