City administration is recommending council approve the initiation of establishing a sister city relationship with the City of Chortkiv, Ukraine.

The recommendation was put forward at Monday’s council meeting, and council will vote on it at next Monday’s meeting.

Chortkiv Mayor Voloymyr Shmatko contacted Whitehorse in December 2022, inviting the city to establish a twin city, international relationship with Chortkiv.

The intent of the relationship is to promote mutual partnership and exchange of experience between the two cities, including economic development, cultural tourism, art, sports and education, says the administrative report provided to council Monday.

It notes council passed a motion in January to undertake a review of the Sister City Relationship Policy, analyze the city’s current sister city relationships, capacity and community support for the proposal.

“A number of factors are considered prior to the selection and maintenance of a formal relationship, some of which include ensuring adequate financial support, economic climate, extent of commitment, and level of engagement,” says the administrative report.

Administrative capacity is also taken into consideration.

Whitehorse currently has three sister cities: Juneau, Lancieux, France, and Ushiku, Japan.

The relationship with Ushiku is described as active because it involves student exchanges while the two others are described as honourary relationships.

The report notes it has not yet been determined whether the relationship with Chortkiv would be active or honourary, but correspondence so far appears to align with an honourary relationship.

Chortkiv is approximately 490 kilometres from the capital of Kyiv, which has been the target of Russian missile and bombing attacks.

While Chortkiv is not involved in the day-to-day battles, it was bombed last June, with a major apartment complex being destroyed. Nobody was killed, but 32 people were injured.

Chortkiv has been the recipient of aid from the Yukon and Alberta.

The mayor of Chortkiv told the Star in an interview last month his city was grateful for the supplies received from Whitehorse and Canada.

Shmatko said his city has provided refuge to some 3,000 Ukrainians fleeing violence, of whom 1,700 were still in the community last month.

Providing the refuge and support has been a challenge for the community of 36,000 full-time residents, said the Chortkiv mayor.

He said he was hoping to twin with Whitehorse to promote the exchange of culture and information, and he looks forward to see how the relationship will benefit both cities.

“We really can’t wait for the people of Whitehorse to visit Chortkiv, and vice-versa,” he told the Star through an interpreter.