Ukraine marks 35 years of independence under fire as allies pledge fresh support
Ukraine's Independence Day arrives amid a fresh wave of Russian strikes and a Kyiv summit aimed at shoring up Western backing
Ukraine marked the 35th anniversary of its independence on August 24 under the shadow of continued Russian attacks, even as world leaders convened in Kyiv to discuss additional military and financial support. Russian attacks on the outskirts of Kharkiv killed three people late Sunday, according to regional officials, with eight others rescued and evacuated.
Separately, Russia's Defence Ministry said Monday its forces had struck a tanker carrying fuel and lubricants for Ukrainian troops in the port of Pivdennyi near Odesa.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the anniversary to press the "Coalition of the Willing," an informal grouping of roughly 34 nations led by London and Paris, for expanded air defenses. Ukraine's military faces a $27 billion budget deficit, and Zelensky urged the EU to swiftly deliver a promised 90 billion euro loan.
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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv on his first foreign trip since taking office, pledging that defense firm MBDA would release classified data on UK components for the SCALP missile to help Ukraine establish local assembly lines. Norway's prime minister, Jonas Gahr Store, pledged $9 billion in support for 2027, matching this year's record total.
No US representative was listed among the participants.
The European Union said in a statement marking the anniversary that it has disbursed 220.2 billion euros to Ukraine since 2022 across military, humanitarian and budget support, including a 90 billion euro loan covering 2026 and 2027 needs. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc remains "unwavering" in its support, adding that the EU backs "a just and lasting peace based on international law and the UN Charter."
The EU noted it has trained more than 94,000 Ukrainian soldiers through its military assistance mission and imposed 21 sanctions packages on Russia since the 2022 invasion. It also cited UN figures showing at least 437 civilians killed and 2,610 injured in Ukraine in July, the highest monthly toll since May 2022.
Ukraine first gained its independence in the late 20th century, adopting its Act of Declaration of Independence on August 24, 1991. However, it was not until the 2014 ousting of Pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych that Ukraine began to see large-scale acts of Russian aggression, such as the annexation of Crimea and then the larger war in 2022.