Odesa's mayor, Gennady Trukhanov, met with Hristo Vidolov Hristov, the mayor of the Mladost district in Varna.

This meeting was facilitated by Mark Petrov, Odesa's ambassador to Bulgaria. Odesa and Varna share long-standing fraternal ties, with an ancient Greek settlement named Odessos existing in the area of modern-day Varna.

“We share many commonalities, which form the basis for our relations and open up prospects for future development. Varna is a maritime city that welcomed many residents from Odesa during the war, who integrated into the community while preserving the Odesa spirit,” stated Mr. Hristov.

Gennady Trukhanov announced the upcoming Bulgarian Culture Days in Odesa, planned for late October to early November, with support from the General Consulate.

The mayor of Odesa invited his Bulgarian counterpart to participate in these events and expressed the desire to discuss potential joint initiatives moving forward. The meeting also touched on the natural disasters that recently affected both Odesa and Bulgarian cities.

Mr. Hristov reported that as a result of the heavy rain that struck Bulgaria on October 3, six fatalities were confirmed, with the toll expected to rise. Odesa also experienced a severe downpour on September 30, which claimed lives. This experience serves as a painful reminder of our cities' vulnerability and the importance of international cooperation in addressing climate challenges.