Status: 08/24/2021 6:41 p.m.
Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991. The 30th anniversary was celebrated with a military parade in Kiev. In his speech, President Zelenskyi was self-confident and combative.
Ukraine celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence with a large military parade, concerts and events. “We are a young country with a thousand-year history,” said President Volodymyr Selenskyj on Independence Square in the capital Kiev.
Zelenskyi campaigned for closer relations with the EU and NATO. A strong Ukraine is “a country that dreams ambitiously and acts decisively”. The country is now part of NATO’s Enhanced Opportunities program, which provides for the possibility of joint maneuvers with the Alliance.
NATO soldiers and EU heads of state
In addition to 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers, delegations from several NATO countries also took part in the parade. Polish and Slovak warplanes and helicopters flew over downtown Kiev. The march was observed by the heads of state of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, as well as the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
“On this holiday we have to remember those who made it possible for us to be here today,” Zelenskyi told the soldiers. “These are the defenders of Ukraine, our independence.” The president promised that both the separatist-controlled Donbass region and the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula will “come back” to Ukraine.
Main battle tanks also took part in the military parade.
Image: dpa
President Zelenskyi campaigned for the country to be linked to the west.
Image: AP
Minute of silence in Kiev
Before the start of the military parade, there was a minute’s silence for the soldiers killed in south-eastern Ukraine. According to official figures, around 50 soldiers have been killed since the beginning of this year alone. The army has been fighting Russia-backed separatists in Donbass since 2014. According to UN estimates, more than 13,000 people were killed – including many civilians.
“We chose European integration”
Ukraine had to pay a high price for its independence, political scientist Volodymyr Fessenko said ARD studio Moscow. “In the 2000s, Ukraine faced the choice of integrating with the EU or with Russia within the framework of the Eurasian Union. In the end, we chose European integration. It was our conscious choice. We fought for it.”
Ukraine has a strong society, free elections, democratic progress and freedoms at all levels. According to Fessenko, the younger generation see themselves as Ukrainians in a political and civil sense.
With information from Christina Nagel, ARD Studio Moscow