As 35 years have passed since Ukraine declared independence, the country remains focused on the war with Russia and its struggle to preserve its territorial integrity. Ukraine declared independence on August 24, 1991, through a decision by the parliament of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The country's first president, Leonid Kravchuk, served until June 1994. That same year, Leonid Kuchma assumed the presidency.
Western orientation and political upheavals
In the November 2004 presidential election, pro-Western candidate Viktor Yushchenko and pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych competed. The announcement that Yanukovych had won the election triggered protests in Kyiv. Following allegations of irregularities, the Ukrainian Parliament annulled the results; Yushchenko won the repeat election held in December.
Yanukovych was elected president again in the 2010 elections. His decision to postpone signing the Association Agreement with the European Union led to the escalation of protests that began in November 2013. The events that followed clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement resulted in Yanukovych's removal from office and his flight to Russia.
Annexation of Crimea
Unrest erupted in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol in February 2014. On February 27, Crimea's parliament and government buildings came under the control of pro-Russian armed militias wearing green uniforms.
Under pressure from armed men, Crimea's parliament approved the organization of a referendum on the region's status. Sergey Aksyonov, leader of the pro-Russian Russian Unity Party, was appointed head of the government. Following the referendum held on March 16, 2014, Russia annexed Crimea.
Petro Poroshenko became president of Ukraine on May 25, 2014, and signed the economic section of the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a political outsider, won the election held in 2019.
From Donbas to the front line
Russia launched its war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, citing claims that Russian-speaking residents in eastern Ukraine were being exploited and subjected to genocide by the administration in Kyiv. During the conflict, which has continued for more than four years, Russia announced that it had annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Fighting continues in the regions of Donbas, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk. While Russia's main pressure remains focused on Donbas, Russian forces have intensified their attacks around the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in terms of transportation and logistics after capturing Pokrovsk in 2026.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 990 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory had been occupied since the beginning of the year, while control had been reestablished over 820 square kilometers. As the Ukrainian army seeks defense assistance against missile attacks, it is developing long-range armed unmanned aerial vehicles and carrying out attacks on strategic sites inside Russia.
Search for negotiations and external support
Ukraine's progress on the battlefield and in the diplomatic arena is moving forward with support from the European Union and the United States. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said in March 2025 that he would halt U.S. aid to Ukraine, including arms shipments and some forms of military support. Trump also pressured the administration in Kyiv to reach an agreement with Russia.
Peace negotiations began after this development. However, talks have not been held for a long time because the parties' demands could not be reconciled. Russia wants Ukraine to make territorial concessions, particularly regarding Donbas, and not join a defense organization such as NATO.
The administration in Kyiv is not giving up its territorial integrity and demands that any agreement include strong security guarantees. Zelenskyy continues to reiterate that he is ready for a leaders-level meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Türkiye took initiatives to halt attacks on ships, particularly in the Black Sea, but Moscow did not respond positively to the proposal. European countries, meanwhile, support strengthening Ukraine's defenses and maintaining pressure on Russia.
Displacement and the humanitarian toll
Ukraine is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its independence with the participation of numerous representatives from Europe. As the country enters its fifth year under wartime conditions, approximately 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced, according to records of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The death toll on both the Ukrainian and Russian sides is estimated to be very high. Ukraine is continuing its struggle to restore its territorial integrity and join the European Union and NATO, both on the battlefield and at the diplomatic table.
