Ukraine Marks 35th Independence Day as European Leaders Gather in Kyiv

Ukraine marked the 35th anniversary of its independence on Monday with a ceremony in Kyiv attended by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a group of European leaders, even as Russian attacks continued.

Speaking at Sophia Square, Zelenskyy said Ukraine “absolutely wants peace, but it is not ready to simply surrender.” He warned that ceding territory would not stop Russian aggression and stressed that Ukrainians would no longer be “cobblestones beneath the feet of tsars and leaders.”

Among the foreign dignitaries present were British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, on his first overseas trip since taking office, European Council President António Costa, and the presidents of Moldova, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as the prime ministers of Luxembourg and Latvia.

Burnham is co-chairing a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing group of countries supporting Ukraine. Leaders of France and Germany were expected to join discussions online.

Zelenskyy presented awards to soldiers and families of the fallen and awarded battle flags to military units. The ceremony took place against the backdrop of intensified Russian strikes and ongoing debates within Ukraine about the possibility of wartime elections.

European leaders used the occasion to reaffirm long-term support for Ukraine’s defence and eventual security guarantees.