Robert Ménard has just completed a particularly symbolic trip to Ukraine which he began at the beginning of July, visiting the inhabitants of Chortkiv, a town twinned with Béziers since 2022. A trip placed under the sign of support for the Ukrainians, as the war continues to strike the country, even far from the front lines.
In contact with Ukrainian soldiers
The mayor of Béziers visited the area near the front lines, where he met with Ukrainian soldiers engaged in combat against the Russian army. During his visit, he presented medals and an anti-drone computer, donated by the City of Béziers, to the Ukrainian army.
On the road, the delegation was able to see the very concrete traces of the war: bombed gas stations, checkpoints, anti-drone protections installed over kilometers, and those blue signs which recall, along the roads, the faces of the men who fell in combat.
Hospital, refugees and memory of the dead
Robert Ménard also visited a refugee reception center, which houses about a hundred people, including some twenty children. The delegation toured the areas set up for families, children, soldiers, and the sewing workshops.
The mayor of Béziers then visited a hospital treating war wounded. Around sixty soldiers are currently being cared for there. The elected officials toured the rooms, the rehabilitation areas, and the spaces where the wounded are relearning everyday tasks.
Béziers and Tchortkiv, a twinning that is taking shape
In Chortkiv, Robert Ménard spoke at the foot of the war memorial during a patriotic gathering in memory of Ukrainian soldiers killed by the Russian army. At the end of the ceremony, he greeted the religious leaders present.
The visit also continued in schools, notably at a high school twinned with the Jean-Moulin high school in Béziers. Photos of the city of Béziers, its town hall, and children from Béziers schools were on display, highlighting that the link between the two towns now extends beyond the purely institutional framework.
Between the presentation of coats of arms, discussions with local authorities, and visits to public facilities, this trip gave a very concrete dimension to the twinning between Béziers and Chortkiv. For Robert Ménard, Béziers, "a city of resistance," intends to continue supporting those in Ukraine who have been fighting against Russian aggression for more than four years.
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