The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2026.
Arron Newble, Counsellor for Politico-Military Affairs, marks Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day by praising the courage of Ukrainians defending their sovereignty, identity and culture against Russia’s illegal war, and reaffirms the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s legitimate self-defence and a just and lasting peace.
Thank you, Mr Chair.
Today, Ukraine marks 35 years of independence. On 24 August 1991, the Ukrainian people chose sovereignty. They chose to take their place as a free and independent nation among equals. That choice was overwhelming. It was recognised by the international community, including the Russian Federation.
Thirty-five years later, Ukraine is defending that same choice against Russia’s illegal war of aggression. President Putin launched this war because he refused to accept Ukraine as a sovereign state, a distinct nation, and a free people. He claimed Ukraine was not real. He expected Ukrainians to yield. Instead, they have shown the strength of their independence and reminded the world that the will of peoples to defend their freedom and security will always be stronger than the will of those who want to take it away.
The central aim of Russia’s war has failed. Ukraine’s nationhood is not defined by the Kremlin. It is lived every day by Ukrainians: in their language, their culture, their service to their country, and their determination to decide their own future.
This war has never been only about territory. It is about identity, sovereignty and culture. Russia has sought not only to seize Ukrainian land, but to suppress Ukrainian life. We have seen Russian attacks on places of cultural and religious importance, pressure on communities under occupation, and attempts to rewrite what Ukrainian children are taught about their own country.
The latest Moscow Mechanism report underlines this pattern. It sets out how Russia has subjected Ukrainian children to indoctrination and militarisation, including through education and youth programmes. This is part of Russia’s wider attempt to weaken Ukraine by targeting its future.
Russia has not achieved the political submission it sought. It has not achieved the military victory it expected. So it continues to turn to terror and destruction. Its missiles and drones strike homes, energy infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and sites of religious and cultural significance.
On the night of 19-20 August Russia launched another mass missile attack on Ukraine, killing at least 17 civilians. The following day, Russian drones struck a busy shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, killing a further 16 civilians and injuring more than 130. These attacks will not break Ukraine’s resolve. Instead, they expose the brutality of Russia’s campaign.
Ukraine’s fight is for its own survival. But it is also a fight for the principles that underpin Euro-Atlantic security: sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of peoples to choose their own future. Ukraine’s independence, and Ukraine’s resistance, remind us that these principles endure only when they are defended.
That is why the United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine – including here at the OSCE. Our support for Ukraine’s legitimate self-defence is support for the principles on which security in Europe depends. We will not be deterred by threats from the Russian Federation. Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of the UK to stand against Russian aggression, both in Ukraine and whenever directed against the UK and our Allies.
On Ukraine’s Independence Day, we congratulate the Ukrainian people. They freely chose their independence 35 years ago. They are defending it with courage today. The United Kingdom will continue to support Ukraine in its legitimate self-defence, and in the pursuit of a just and lasting peace, for as long as it takes.
Thank you.