The category of the potential has been studied on various levels of regional socio-economic system: from the potential of community to the metropolitan potential of the city. The necessity of metropolitan evaluation has been proved in two directions - basic and implemented metropolitan potentials. Basic metropolitan potential is understood as objectively existing possibility of functioning of metropolis. Implemented metropolitan potential is considered to be the degree of efficiency of objective conditions and assumptions of metropolis. It has been established that Lviv possesses the highest level of a basic and implemented metropolitan potential among the seven major cities in Western Ukraine. Thus, it has been possible to determine components of metropolitan potential such as metropolitan economic potential; metropolitan political potential; metropolitan social potential; metropolitan educational potential; metropolitan cultural potential; metropolitan communication potential. It has also been provided a multivariate analysis of the potential of large cities in Western Ukraine using integrated indicators according to constituents of metropolitan potential. As a result, we might see the necessity of functional specialization of metropolitan network in Western Ukraine in two vectors - external and internal. Hence, as a solution for enhancing metropolitan potential within the metropolitan area it has been offered to develop all components of metropolitan potential on condition of balanced increasing of a wide range of basic types of needs, specific for metropolitan area. We also may state that the characteristic of metropolitan network of Western Ukraine shows the potential of all metropolitan potential components implemented both in the domestic and external directions. Revealed areas give possibility to see the functional cooperation between the major cities of Western Ukraine depending on the level of implementation of individual components of metropolitan potential. This interaction allows the redistribution of certain components of metropolitan potential, thereby reducing the negative effects of excessive metropolitan potential concentration of metropolis from a higher rank. Increasing of metropolitan potential should include functional interaction between Lviv with Ivano-Frankivsk and Lutsk according to the economic potential component, Uzhgorod in terms of political potential component, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil on the social potential component, Ivano-Frankivsk on the educational potential component , Ivano-Frankivsk and Uzhgorod on the cultural potential component and Chernivtsi on the communication potential component. 

metropolis, metropolitan potential, basic metropolitan potential, implemented metropolitan potential