What happened
Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas and Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi signed a memorandum of understanding in Tartu, formally admitting Estonia’s second-largest city to the Unbroken Cities network. The network was launched by Lviv to help European municipalities learn from Ukraine’s experience maintaining essential services and community resilience during wartime.
The agreement was signed at a two-day seminar in Tartu titled “Urban Resilience in Wartime: Lessons from Lviv for European Municipalities.” Representatives from Ukrainian and European local governments, public agencies, crisis-management bodies, and community organizations attended.
Discussions covered emergency preparedness, crisis communication, disinformation, healthcare, and mental health support. Klaas said Lviv’s ability to keep the city functioning under difficult circumstances offers valuable lessons for all of Europe, and that membership will allow Tartu to exchange knowledge on sustaining services and supporting residents during crises.
The Unbroken Cities network grew out of Lviv’s UNBROKEN initiative, which provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support to people affected by the war and shares Ukrainian cities’ experience with international partners. Its goal is to strengthen cooperation among cities and help communities better withstand crises and changing conditions.
