Australian councils have been officially thanked for their response to the war in Ukraine. 

In an address to the National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association, Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko highlighted the global outreach towards Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

“Today as never before our cities and our communities need international help to rebuild,” he said, according to reports.

“At the time being we rely on international help and this is where I would like to encourage you to look into the opportunity of building those relationships.”

The Ambassador expressed gratitude to the City of Tea Tree Gully in Adelaide's outer north-east for signing a sister city partnership with Borodyanka, a town near Kyiv devastated by the war. 

Myroshnychenko also acknowledged the City of Melbourne for severing ties with St Petersburg and standing in solidarity with Ukraine.

Mayor Marijka Ryan of the City of Tea Tree Gully, whose parents are of Ukrainian descent, revealed that the sister city partnership was unanimously supported by the council. 

The agreement, the first of its kind between an Australian and Ukrainian city, aims to facilitate cultural exchange, mutual support, and collaboration in education, technology, and professional development.

Myroshnychenko urged the Australian government to adopt a region in Ukraine to assist with the reconstruction efforts, following the lead of countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Britain. 

He expressed hope for a future visit to the ALGA assembly under happier circumstances, bringing along a delegation of local governments to share experiences on rebuilding the country.