The mayor of Lille has given the Ukrainian name of Kharkiv to a bridge in the city.
Twinned with Lille since 1978, Kharkiv is the second largest city in Ukraine.
Martine Aubry is ready to welcome Ukrainians who would like to take refuge in France to her city.
A single letter that changes everything.
This Thursday, Martine Aubry decided to change the name of the Kharkov bridge, located opposite Lille Europe station.
Twinned with Lille since 1978, the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was called Kharkov until 1998. But the Russian name of the second largest city in the country (1.5 million inhabitants) had not yet been changed on the bridge in Kharkiv, its Ukrainian name.
The invasion by the Russian army of Ukraine this Thursday, prompted the mayor of Lille to make this symbolic gesture.
“We have relations with this city which is very close to the Russian border.
For a month, we have been in frequent contact with the mayor of Kharkiv.
More than a year ago, we decided to give this bridge its Ukrainian name, but the Covid prevented us from doing so.
Unfortunately, this is not the ideal situation to change that.
We are extremely concerned and very marked by this situation, ”recognizes the mayor of the city.
“People are brave and want to defend their territory”
Present alongside Martine Aubry, a few Ukrainian nationals from Lille came to sing the national anthem with the country's flags in their hands but also signs hostile to Putin.
Honorary Consul of Ukraine in France, Etienne Mourmant had also made the trip and seemed very moved by the current situation.
“I had people on the phone this Thursday morning.
The situation is dramatic but the people are brave and want to defend their territory.
For the moment, the inhabitants are at home, they do not go out and manage to overcome their fear.
Let us be united with them,” the diplomat said.
Faced with this complicated situation, Martine Aubry promised to welcome Lille in the event of an exodus of the local population.
“For now, the population wants to stay.
But we know very well that depending on the circumstances, there will be asylum applications.
Lille will be ready to welcome residents.
But we hope that we will not come to that,” concludes the mayor of the city.
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