Today, 24 August 2022, we stand united in celebrating the Independence Day of Ukraine and in honouring the courage and strength of Ukrainians who are fighting to protect the independence of their country and to defend it from Russian aggression.

Thirty-one years ago, on 24 August 1991, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada marked its Act of Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union, stating that “the territory of Ukraine is indivisible and inviolable”. Today, thirty-one years later, we pay tribute to the Ukrainian people’s heroic defence of this principle, of the territory of Ukraine, the right to sovereignty and self-determination and the inviolability of Ukraine’s borders in the face of Russian aggression.

We stand united in celebrating the Independence Day of Ukraine, in the Ukrainian people’s fight for freedom, independence, and a democratic, European future, and in honouring the victims of the Russian invasion.

As the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, we will continue to support civil society organisations from Ukraine and neighbouring countries, who are working tirelessly for the Ukrainian people, mitigating the effects of the war, and supporting the creation of a sustainable, European future.

З Днем Незалежності України.
Слава Україні!

The Members of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum