The Mayor of Paris visits Ukraine to show support

A month and a half after the large-scale Russian invasion and only days after the Bucha massacre, Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, fulfilled her promise by traveling to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Mayor Hidalgo had pledged to visit Kyiv as soon as possible to demonstrate solidarity with the city and its people, victims of the atrocities of war.

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During her visit, Anne Hidalgo presented Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko with honorary citizenship on behalf of the city of Paris. This honor, unanimously approved by the Paris City Council, was granted for the first time to a city. Through this symbolic act, Paris reaffirmed its unwavering friendship and support for Kyiv in its fight for freedom against the Russian invasion. The two mayors also signed a friendship pact between Paris and Kyiv, further strengthening ties between the two capitals.

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Anne Hidalgo distinguished herself as one of the first European political leaders to visit Kyiv since the Russian invasion began. Her visit also took her to Irpin, Bucha, and Borodyanka, locations tragically known for the horrors and crimes committed by Russian forces. On-site, she witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by shelling and tanks, as well as the cruelty inflicted on civilians, many of whom were killed or assaulted by occupying troops.

Beyond these field visits, Anne Hidalgo, accompanied by the Stand With Ukraine team, met with Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova, along with members of parliament Lesia Vasylenko, Alyona Shkrum, and Dmytro Natalukha. Together, they discussed the investigations initiated by Ukrainian and international criminal justice systems to document and prosecute war crimes committed on Ukrainian soil. Anne Hidalgo pledged that Paris would stand alongside Kyiv during the reconstruction process.