Windsor Forges Friendship Pact with War-Torn Ukrainian City of Kupiansk
The City of Windsor has entered into a symbolic friendship agreement with Kupiansk, Ukraine, a key logistics hub in eastern Ukraine that has endured immense suffering since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. The pact was signed by Mayor Drew Dilkens during a city council meeting on Monday, April 15, 2026, marking a gesture of international solidarity and support.
A City Under Siege
Kupiansk, located in the Kharkiv Oblast region approximately 100 kilometers from the Russian border, has faced widespread destruction over the past four years. Its pre-war population of around 27,000 has dwindled to an estimated fewer than 600 residents, with homes, infrastructure, and community buildings obliterated by relentless military strikes. The city serves as a critical logistics center, yet daily life is overshadowed by violence and hardship.
"Russia is beating our soldiers from the face of the earth with bombs and missiles," said Kupiansk Mayor Andrii Besedin through a translator during the council meeting, which he attended via Zoom alongside four other municipal officials. He described civilians being murdered, infrastructure "obliterated to the ground," and apartments reduced to rubble. Despite this, local doctors continue to save lives, and children studying remotely demonstrate the community's resilience.
Symbolic Support Across the Atlantic
Mayor Dilkens emphasized that the agreement is not a formal "sister city" relationship—Windsor already has such ties with a dozen other municipalities worldwide. Instead, it is a symbolic pact based on mutual friendship, respect, and support, aligned with the 2023 G7 joint declaration for Ukraine and guided by provisions of the 1980 European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-Operation, also known as the Madrid Convention.
"We're far away, but we want to be very supportive," Dilkens stated. "This is really an agreement that is based on mutual interest. It's based on deepening and strengthening and expanding international co-operation." He noted that Windsor's community has been steadfast in its support since Russia's invasion in February 2022, taking a firm position from the outset.
Looking Toward Reconstruction
Even as the war rages on, Kupiansk is planning for the future. Mayor Besedin highlighted that the community supports the front lines by providing equipment, machinery, vehicles, and building fortifications, while also developing a recovery strategy. "We are already looking forward to reconstruction," he said. "We are planning our return home—and the future of our community."
He concluded with a powerful message: "Despite all odds, Kupiansk stands. Kupiansk fights." Dilkens responded, "The City of Windsor stands with you. We're proud to sign this agreement today, and we wish you continued ongoing success in the work you're doing."
Building the Relationship
The friendship between the two cities began to take shape when Dilkens first met Besedin at the United States Conference of Mayors in June 2025. They reconnected via Zoom in August to discuss establishing a symbolic relationship. Windsor's International Relations Committee then reviewed the request and drafted the agreement in September 2025, leading to Monday's formal signing.
This pact underscores Windsor's commitment to global solidarity, offering moral and symbolic support to a Ukrainian city grappling with the devastating impacts of conflict while fostering international cooperation and hope for recovery.
