Niechciane partnerstwo? Współpraca województwa wielkopolskiego i obwodu charkowskiego
Unwanted partnership? Cooperation of Wielkopolska region and Kharkiv oblast

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to analyze the cooperation between the regions of Wielkopolska and Kharkiv as an example of Polish-Ukrainian interregional cooperation. Ukraine plays a significant role in Polish paradiplomacy (local government diplomacy), as Ukraine holds the second position (after Germany) among the foreign partners of Polish local and regional governments. The paper attempts to answer the question, if the partnership between the regions of Wielkopolska and Kharkiv has an unwanted character. For the purpose of political analysis, the author used the method of desk research, based mainly on documents shared by the Marshal Office of the Wielkopolska Region in Poznań and press releases, completed by an interview with a long-time employee of the MOWR, involved in foreign cooperation. In conclusion, the author states that the cooperation between the regions of Wielkopolska and Kharkiv represents a typical example of Polish-Ukrainian partnership of local or regional governments. Its main characteristic is the dominance of official contacts over substantial activities.

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