On August 24, 2025, Ukraine will celebrate its 34th Independence Day. This milestone commemorates the day in 1991 when Ukrainians regained their statehood and made the historic choice to exercise their inalienable right to live in a free, sovereign, and democratic European state.
Over years of challenges and transformations, Ukrainians have built a resilient economy, accountable state institutions, an independent press, a vibrant civil society, and political plurality. Amidst the ongoing full-scale Russian aggression, Independence Day stands as a symbol of the unwavering commitment and determination of Ukrainians to defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity, values, and aspirations.
The Historical Roots of Independence
The adoption of the Act of Declaration of Independence in 1991 was the culmination of a long tradition of Ukrainian statehood. This tradition began with the formation of the Kyivan Rus state (9th–13th centuries AD), continued through the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia (12th–14th centuries AD), the Ukrainian Cossack State (17th–18th centuries AD), and the Ukrainian People’s Republic in early 20th century.
Throughout the centuries, Ukrainians have made immense sacrifices to achieve statehood. Under the Russian Empire and later under Soviet occupation, millions of Ukrainians faced the suppression of their national identity, mass terror, wars, genocide, and repression. The artificial famine of 1932–1933, known as the Holodomor, claimed at least 7 million lives. In May 1944, the Soviet authorities forcibly deported the Crimean Tatars, the indigenous Sunni Muslim people of Crimea. Nowadays, in Russian-occupied Crimea, Crimean Tatars are again subject to politically motivated persecution and violation of their cultural and religious rights.
The Stand Against Russian Aggression
On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an expansion of the armed aggression that has been ongoing since February 2014. Invoking its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine continues to wage a defensive war against the aggressor state, Russia.
The bravery and resilience of Ukrainians in their just struggle have amazed the world. The aggressor’s losses in this war exceeded 1 million troops killed and wounded.
Every single day, Ukrainians pay heavy price in this bloody war waged by Russia. Our fight is not just for our own survival; it is about upholding the rule of law, justice, and democracy in the face of tyranny and aggression for all civilized nations.
With the support of the international community, Ukraine continues its struggle for liberation of occupied territories and restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. Our strategic goal remains unchanged: to achieve comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.
Our principled position is as follows:
* Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.
* We will not recognize any temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as Russian.
* We will not agree to any restrictions on the Defence Forces of Ukraine.
* We will not accept any restrictions on Ukraine’s sovereignty or its domestic and foreign policies, including its choice of alliances.
Ukrainians deserve real peace, not an imitation of it. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table to bring peace closer. Moscow, in its turn, must shift its approach from ultimatums to responsibility. From war to decisions. Instead, Russia continues to terrorize Ukrainian civilians, looking for any excuse to delay the negotiation process and avoid ending the war. Therefore, a coordinated collective effort by the international community is needed to push Moscow towards real peace, supported by effective security guarantees for Ukraine.
The leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and European countries joined efforts to achieve peace. Security guarantees for Ukraine are being developed. Peace must be lasting and sustainable, not a pause before the next Russian invasion. The ceasefire is the first step to a peace agreement. Release all Ukrainian military and civilian prisoners, return children abducted by Russia. Pressure on Russia should be maintained until the aggression and occupation continue. Any lift of sanctions only on condition that Russia complies with the future peace agreement.
Ukraine hopes that Pakistan will join international efforts to establish comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine, based on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula and the principles of the UN Charter, as well as contribute to the implementation of the Victory Plan for Ukraine.
Ukraine and Pakistan: A Partnership with History
Ukraine and Pakistan enjoy traditionally friendly and mutually beneficial relations in political, military-technical, trade, and humanitarian domains. As natural partners, both countries have a long history of historical ties and practical engagement.
Our compatriot Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss), a native of the city of Lviv, stood at the origin of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He drafted the first Constitution of Pakistan and served as Pakistan’s Representative to the United Nations.
Ukrainian experts and enterprises contributed to the establishment of Pakistan’s key industries in the 1960s and 70s, including the construction of the Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi, hydroelectric plants in Tarbela and Kalabagh. Most of the design documentation for the Pakistan Steel Mills, as well as the production of industrial equipment, was carried out by Ukrainian entities, such as “VAZHMASHIMPEKS”, “Kharkiv Institute Promtransproekt” etc.
In the 1990s, Ukraine helped boost Pakistan’s defence capabilities by supplying T-80UD tanks and contributing to the development of Pakistan’s national tank program.
During the 2020 “flour crisis,” Ukrainian traders covered two-thirds of Pakistan’s grain deficit. Ukraine also provided humanitarian aid to Pakistan following natural disasters in 2005 and 2010, while Pakistan reciprocated with aid to Ukraine in 2022 amidst the Russian invasion.
The official visit to Ukraine of the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in May 2021 reaffirmed strong and deeply rooted ties between our countries in military-technical domain.
The official visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to Islamabad in July 2023 further reinvigorated ties between the two nations.
Pakistan is an important trade partner for Ukraine in South Asia. In 2024, it ranked 35th among Ukraine’s global trade partners and 6th in the Asia-Pacific, with bilateral trade reaching $318 million.
Despite the Russian attacks on port and logistics infrastructure, Ukraine significantly increased its food exports to Pakistan. In the 2023–2024 marketing season, Ukraine exported 815,000 tons of wheat worth $143 million to Pakistan. In 2025, Pakistan became a recipient of the humanitarian program “Grain from Ukraine,” under which Pakistani schools will receive 2,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat, 100 tons of vegetable oil, and 200 tons of peas, valued at approximately $2 million.
The cooperation between Ukraine and Pakistan is based on shared values, including strive for justice, belief in dialogue, and respect for human dignity. Ukraine has made significant contributions to combating Islamophobia through legislation and initiatives protecting the rights and freedoms of Muslim communities. In July 2023, Ukraine became the only European country to support a UN Human Rights Council resolution on countering religious hatred, which was tabled by Pakistan on behalf of the OIC. In June 2024, Ukraine supported Pakistan’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2025–2026, confident in Pakistan’s ability to contribute to addressing major threats to international peace and security, particularly Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The high level of mutual understanding and dynamic interaction provides solid foundation for further development of cooperation between Ukraine and Pakistan. Ukraine remains committed to constructive dialogue and interaction with Pakistan in all spheres of mutual interest, looking forward to continuing the partnership and achieving shared goals.
BY: Writer Mr. Markiian Chuchuk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaryof Ukraine in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
