Sienkevych sees the future of Mykolaiv as «Little Denmark on the Black Sea»

Ambassador Ole Egberg Mikkelsen and the Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkevych, photo: Mykolaiv City Council

The mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkevych wants the city to become a small Denmark on the shores of the Black Sea in the future — «rich, green and innovative».

The Ambassador of Denmark to Ukraine, Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, said this during the conference «Mykolaiv — a city on the wave» in Kyiv, write NikVesti.

The ambassador noted that such a vision of the post-war development of Mykolaiv was voiced by the mayor during their first meeting in 2022, when Denmark was just beginning its cooperation with Mykolaiv. We will remind that at the end of August 2022, the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, and the Minister of International Development of Denmark, Flemming Møller Mortensen, signed a memorandum of cooperation.

«What are your visions of the future? There are many visions. One of them was formulated by the mayor at the first meeting. He said: «I want my city to become a small Denmark on the shores of the Black Sea, as rich, as green, as innovative,» the ambassador said.

Advertising

However, according to Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, in addition to this vision, there are other ideas about the future of Mykolaiv. For example, the ambassador recently met with students of Mykolaiv National Agrarian University at the opening of a renovated student dormitory. During the meeting, one of the university students shared her idea about the development of the city.

«I also met a young student at the Agricultural University, and she said: «No, no, no... this is not Denmark. This is Dubai. I want my city to become a small Dubai on the shores of the Black Sea with skyscrapers, highways and large shopping centers,» the ambassador said.

Ole Egberg Mikkelsen concluded that Denmark will support Mykolaiv regardless of the development path chosen by the city.

We will remind, recently the Deputy Mayor of Mykolaiv Serhii Koreniev said that Denmark plans to help the city for the next 10 years.

Earlier, the representatives of Denmark said that they were satisfied with the «positive developments» in Mykolaiv and announced a new phase of the partnership, which provides for the economic and social recovery of the city.

Denmark's cooperation with Mykolaiv

Back in March 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking before the Danish parliament, called on the country to take «chiefship» over Mykolaiv after the end of a full-scale war.

In January 2023 , a meeting of representatives of Denmark and Ukraine took place in Mykolaiv regarding the planning of further restoration of the city. And in July, the Minister of the Kingdom of Denmark announced a package of aid for the Mykolaiv region for special equipment, medical equipment and repair of shelters.

Last September, after a meeting with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the opening of the office of the Danish Embassy in Ukraine in Mykolaiv.

And at the beginning of November, Denmark announced a new large-scale aid package to Ukraine for 40.2 million euros. At that time, it was reported that the main focus of the aid package was on Mykolaiv and the region.

In January 2024, the Kingdom of Denmark allocated another 21 million dollars to the reconstruction of the Mykolaiv region. In May — 17.2 million dollars for the reconstruction of destroyed educational institutions in the region, and in June -33.5 million euros for the restoration of infrastructure and improving access to water and electricity supply.

In general, about 60% of the aid that Denmark sends to Ukraine goes to Mykolaiv and the Mykolaiv region, said the ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine Ole Egberg Mikkelsen. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Denmark has provided 118 million dollars in aid to the Mykolaiv region. He also stated his vision of the post-war reconstruction of Mykolaiv with friendly conditions for pedestrians and bicycle infrastructure.

While in Mykolaiv, the ambassador explained that after the end of the full-scale war, Denmark would help Mykolaiv to restore and modernize its shipbuilding capacity.

In particular, the country will rebuild the Mykola Arkas Lyceum while preserving its authentic appearance. As of September 2023, Ukrainian architects presented Ole Egberg Mikkelsen with reconstruction options.

Denmark also expressed interest in the privatization of the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant.

Also recently, in Mykolaiv, they finished painting a mural in honor of friendship and partnership with the Kingdom of Denmark. It was opened on the anniversary of the founding of Mykolaiv.