The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, visited Ukraine for the fifth time, confirming her unwavering commitment to Kyiv. Accompanied by Éric Lejoindre, mayor of the 18th arrondissement, this visit marks a new stage in the strong relationship between the two capitals, which is reflected in concrete actions and gestures of solidarity.

 Since the start of the war, Paris has stepped up its support for Kyiv. In May 2022, Anne Hidalgo presented Kyiv with the honorary citizenship of the City of Paris, underlining the commitment of Parisians to the Ukrainian people. This commitment also took the form of essential humanitarian aid, sent from the very first months of the conflict.

During her visit last March, accompanied by Stand With Ukraine, Anne Hidalgo was able to measure the scale of the destruction caused by the bombardments, in particular the destruction of the stadium of Football Club Lokomotiv Kyiv. This emblematic club, founded by the national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia, is deeply rooted in the country’s sporting history. It symbolizes the strong link between sport and railway workers, and has distinguished itself by training many talented youngsters.

On January 23, 2024, at 7:30 in the morning, the Lokomotiv Kyiv stadium was hit by a Russian missile, killing one person and seriously injuring four others. This tragic attack could have had even more dramatic consequences, as it occurred just minutes before the arrival of the many children who regularly trained there.

The destruction of this symbolic site triggered an exceptional mobilization. The Paris City Council voted over 120,000 euros in financial support for its reconstruction, underlining the importance of sport as a vector of resilience and solidarity. This funding will be used to rebuild the site, create new changing rooms with sanitary facilities, ensure access to water and heating, acquire sports equipment, and purchase a second-hand bus for team travel.

During this latest visit, Anne Hidalgo met with Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, to discuss the colossal challenges that the Ukrainian capital continues to face. These discussions underlined the importance of partnerships between the two cities, both to meet urgent needs and to prepare for the future.

With this visit, Anne Hidalgo reaffirms Paris’ solidarity with Kyiv.