Scaling of the Barrier-Free Movement project depends on results in pilot communities: Oleksii Kuleba

An extended coordination meeting on the implementation of the Barrier-Free Movement project took place, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba.

The event was attended by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Viktor Mykyta, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development Nataliia Kozlovska, heads of regional military administrations, and mayors of communities implementing the Barrier-Free Movement project.

The focus was on implementing the first phase of routes in 15 pilot communities and completing work on facilities by the end of this year.

“The Barrier-Free Movement project is about functional paths for people in the city. It is important that our veterans, older residents, and parents with young children feel real results in their towns and villages. Today, the routes must reach final stages, with clear implementation timelines and formalised decisions. Communities are responsible for actual on-site execution. Plans include expanding the barrier-free routes project to other communities across the country. But scaling is only possible if we achieve concrete, verified, working results in the first wave,” emphasised Oleksii Kuleba.

The Deputy Prime Minister separately stressed that challenges may arise during implementation, but the task for each pilot city is not to stop but to seek effective solutions and show initiative.

During the meeting, participants discussed in detail the status of work on facilities in each pilot community included in the barrier-free routes, as well as steps to ensure timely completion of facilities and integrated transport-pedestrian paths by the end of 2025.

“It is important to objectively assess what has already been done under the Barrier-Free Movement project. This is not just about reports or figures but about real changes that people must feel in their communities. Previously, step-by-step plans were agreed with the communities, so now it is crucial to see results – completed facilities, accessible routes, practical solutions. We share responsibility to our people, the residents of towns and villages, to ensure every barrier-free route is finalised,” noted Viktor Mykyta.

At the start of the project, local barrier-free councils approved barrier-free routes covering 1,149 facilities in 15 pilot communities: 13 cities and 2 settlements. In addition to reports on project implementation, the meeting thoroughly discussed deadlines for completing first-phase facilities by the end of 2025.

Participants agreed to strengthen coordination between communities, the Ministry, and regional administrations to ensure systematic, continuous, and high-quality project implementation.

Background

Barrier-Free Movement is a flagship project of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, implemented under the initiative of the First Lady Olena Zelenska “Without Barriers”, covering 15 pilot communities where barrier-free routes are being created. These are currently Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Ternopil, Lviv, Rivne, Chernivtsi, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Slavutych, Kropyvnytskyi, Bucha, and the settlements of Opishnia and Borodianka.