On May 29, 2026, in Dnipro, the “U-LEAD with Europe” Program, in partnership with the Donetsk Regional State Administration, held a dialogue meeting on the topic: “The Development Trajectory of Hubs in the Donetsk Region: Functioning, Challenges, and Prospects.”
The event was attended by Oleksandr Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration; representatives of the regional state administration and the Kramatorsk District State Administration; heads of military administrations of settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions; partners and experts of the “U-LEAD with Europe” Program; as well as invited representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the charitable organization “ADRA Ukraine Charitable Foundation.”
The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the current status of humanitarian hubs and community support centers in Donetsk Oblast, identify pressing challenges and prospects for their further development, and strengthen horizontal communication among communities in the region.
During his speech, Oleksandr Shevchenko expressed his gratitude to the “U-LEAD with Europe” Program for its ongoing support of communities in the Donetsk region, its reliable partnership, and joint work on developing effective mechanisms to assist our residents.
“Even under such extremely difficult conditions, the communities of Donetsk Oblast have not lost sight of what matters most—their responsibility for their people. They continue to support residents, seek new ways to engage, and create spaces for assistance and unity,” he emphasized.
The event discussed the development of a network of humanitarian hubs starting in 2022, the dynamics of their establishment, the transformation of the range of services to meet the needs of IDPs and the evacuated population, the activities of the hubs, and the prospects for their further development.
During the event, participants learned about best practices for organizing humanitarian spaces, discussed the role of support centers in providing assistance to IDPs and the evacuated population, and addressed the issue of ensuring the sustainability of the hubs through the development of communities’ financial capacity and inter-municipal partnerships.
Special attention during the meeting was given to developing cooperation among communities in the Donetsk region, forming common approaches to the operation of humanitarian spaces, and identifying effective mechanisms for supporting IDPs.
Holding such events is an important step toward strengthening cooperation among communities in Donetsk Oblast, exchanging experiences, and developing joint solutions aimed at supporting the region’s residents under martial law and facilitating the region’s subsequent recovery.
