24/08/2026
35 years ago, Ukrainians chose their future.
Today, they are defending the right to still have one.
On August 24, Ukraine marks 35 years since the restoration of its independence. An anniversary that, in 2026, carries a profound and painful meaning.
At its core, independence is the right of a sovereign nation to speak its language, shape its society, elect its leaders, build its institutions and determine the borders and future of its own country.
Over 35 years, Ukraine has built far more than a state.
It has built a vibrant civil society, a globally recognized digital sector, and generations of entrepreneurs, engineers, artists and leaders. During the full-scale war, Ukrainian ingenuity has continued to transform technology and defense, from digital public services and cybersecurity to drones and defense systems studied far beyond Ukraine.
Behind these achievements are people who keep building while their country is under attack. Who teach children underground, restore electricity after strikes, work, volunteer and plan for a future russia is trying to take away.
What the world calls resilience, Ukrainians experience as survival.
The possibility of that survival is secured every day by those who defend Ukraine, paying the highest price for its independence with their courage, their blood and their lives.
Donetsk is Ukraine. Luhansk is Ukraine. Mariupol is Ukraine. Melitopol is Ukraine. Berdiansk is Ukraine. Severodonetsk is Ukraine. Crimea is Ukraine.
Years of occupation cannot rewrite the sovereignty of a country. Neither military force nor the passage of time can turn the seizure of Ukrainian territory into a legitimate claim to it.
On August 24, we honour those who made Ukraine’s independence possible and those who defend it today.
Happy Independence Day, Ukraine.
May the day come when independence is something Ukrainians can simply live, rather than something they have to die to defend.
Glory to Ukraine! 🇺🇦
