Message of Ambassador Markiian Chuchuk on 30th Anniversary of Independence of Ukraine

Taking an opportunity,I extend my heart felt congratulations and best wishes of success and prosperity to all Ukrainian compatriots in Pakistan as well as to our Pakistani friends and partners on the 30^th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine.

Today, on August 24, Ukraine celebrates the biggest national holiday – the 30^th anniversary of its independence.

This holiday was established in honour of an exceptional historical event – the adoption in 1991 by the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. Thе document crowned the millennial aspirations of the Ukrainian people to have their own state and to determine their own destiny.

For Ukrainians, freedom and dignity have always been and remain fundamental values ​​that motivate and support the struggle for independence.

Centuries of statelessness imposed an incredibly heavy cost to our nation. In the twentieth century alone, millions of Ukrainians died because of the Holodomor, the Holocaust, state terror, deportations, and wars.

During the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917–1921, our people were able to revive statehood. For the first time in the twentieth century, Ukraine declared independence on January 22, 1918. After that, we lost our freedom several times due to external aggression and internal quarrels.

Therefore, we must learn from the mistakes of our predecessors and remember that national unity is a prerequisite for the preservation of statehood. Our strength is in unity, in the ability to find common ground and to oppose hostile forces together.

The years of independence have shown the world that Ukraine has succeeded as a state capable of affirming democratic values, promoting freedom, dignity and diversity, defending its sovereignty and integrity.

Despite the all odds we have managed to build a tolerant society in which different ethnic, religious and social groups find common language and live in mutual respect.

It is very symbolically that Ukraine`s Independence Day and Pakistan National Day are being celebrated within just two weeks of each other. And that`s more than mere coincidence. That is fact that brings two countries closer together.

Ukraine and Pakistan enjoy friendly, mutually beneficial and almost problem-free relations. There is active engagement in different areas, especially in military and technical, trade and economic domains, in bilateral and multilateral formats between the two countries.

Pakistan is an important economic partner for Ukraine in the region of South Asia, ranking 37^th among Ukraine’s trading partners in the world, and in the Asia-Pacific region – 7^th in terms of exports in 2020.

At the peak of the “grain crisis” in 2020, Ukrainian traders covered two-thirds of the grain deficit, exporting more than 1.2 million tons of wheat to Pakistan. Thus, Ukraine has proved to be a guarantor of Pakistan’s food security too.

Іn 2020, the trade turnover between Ukraine and Pakistan amounted to 411,814 million USD. In the first five months of 2021, the volume of trade in goods amounted to 132,563 million USD, marking a 58% increase.

Ukraine is a key trade partner for Pakistan too, being listed in the TOP-20 major importers of Pakistan for July 2020 – March 2021.

Ukraine and Pakistan`s cooperation in the military-technical field is highly productive and successful. Іn 1996 a multi-million dollar contract provided Pakistan with modern tanks as well as Ukrainian producers with long-term orders. Since then, almost 150 military-technical contracts worth more than 1.5 billion USD have been signed and implemented.

The last visit to Ukraine Chief of Pakistan Army Staff General QamarJavedBajwa reaffirmed and underscored strong and deeply rooted ties between our countries in military and technical sphere.

Just two weeks ago, 10 August 2021, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine DmytroKuleba had a telephone conversation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Ukraine and Pakistan have much in common.  But our main common goal is to raise cooperation between our countries to a new high.

As Ukrainian Ambassador in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I am very pleased to admit that in this very sensitiveboth for Ukraine and Pakistan timethe two countries act as good friends and reliable partners. Our bilateral relations have always been a shining example of goodwill and sincerity, based upon common values, mutual respect and understanding.

We highly appreciate an outstanding cooperation between Pakistan and Ukraine that, I am sure, will successfully proceed in the years to come.

Long live friendship between Ukraine and Pakistan!

Pakistan – Ukraine dosti hmesha zindabad!