H E Andrii Kuzmenko
On August 24, Ukraine marks the 35th anniversary of the restoration of its independence. For Ukrainians, this is far more than a commemorative date. Once again, Independence Day comes as our country defends its freedom, sovereignty and right to choose its own future in the most difficult war in contemporary European history.
For four and a half years, Ukraine has resisted Russia’s full-scale aggression. The aggressor possesses far greater human and military-industrial resources, a vast missile arsenal and major drone-production capacity. Yet for Ukraine, this struggle has long gone beyond a conventional military confrontation. It is about the right of a people to exist as a free nation, determine its own future and live in its own sovereign state.
Ukraine has endured. And Ukraine continues to endure.
This has been possible because of the courage of Ukrainian servicemen and women and the resilience of millions of civilians who have lived for years under missile and drone attacks, continued working during air-raid alerts, and rebuilt damaged homes, hospitals, schools and energy infrastructure. Behind every destroyed building and every family that has lost a loved one lies a human tragedy. What aggression has failed to do is break the will of the Ukrainian people.
We are grateful to the countries and peoples that help Ukraine defend itself and move closer to a just and lasting peace. Ukraine particularly values the State of Qatar’s consistent support for our sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the personal attention of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.
A major recent milestone was President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s working visit to Doha on 28–29 March 2026 and his meeting with His Highness the Amir. The two leaders agreed to develop a long-term defence partnership, while an intergovernmental Agreement on Defence Cooperation was signed on March 28.
Qatar’s humanitarian diplomacy is of particular importance to Ukraine. Doha plays a unique mediating role in facilitating the return of Ukrainian children unlawfully transferred by Russia from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in reuniting families. Thanks to Qatar’s humanitarian operations and mediation efforts, more than 80 Ukrainian children have already been reunited with their families. Qatar has also hosted Ukrainian families in Doha, providing rehabilitation and support.
We are sincerely grateful for this work. Returning a child to his or her parents is not an abstract diplomatic achievement; it means giving a family back its future. Qatar’s efforts show that mediation can be a practical mechanism for saving lives. Ukraine hopes this cooperation will continue and expand to unlawfully detained civilians and prisoners of war.
Ukraine is also closely following developments in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz. For Qatar, the Strait is an indispensable artery connecting its LNG exports with global markets. For Ukraine, the Black Sea plays a similarly vital role as our principal maritime gateway to the world, particularly for agricultural exports.
The regions and security environments are different, but the parallel is clear. When freedom of navigation through a strategic maritime route is threatened, the consequences do not stop at the coastline.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz affects global energy security; disruption in the Black Sea affects global food security. In both cases, shipping, commodity prices and supply chains far beyond the immediate region feel the impact.
For Ukraine, this parallel is particularly acute today. Since July, Russia has sharply intensified missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian ports, port infrastructure and civilian shipping in the Black Sea. In July alone, 67 attacks were carried out against seaport infrastructure, while dozens of civilian vessels in Ukrainian ports and ships navigating the Ukrainian Maritime Corridor were targeted. The attacks continued into August, disrupting Greater Odesa ports and forcing Ukraine to redirect agricultural exports to alternative routes.
Recent attacks on commercial vessels and restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz have likewise demonstrated this vital maritime artery’s vulnerability. Qatar has rightly stressed that freedom of navigation through this waterway is a fundamental principle that cannot be compromised.
Ukraine understands these challenges not from theory, but from direct experience. We face attacks on critical infrastructure, disrupted logistics and attempts to weaponise energy and trade routes every day. This is why we are interested in deepening practical exchanges of experience and technology that can strengthen critical infrastructure, protect logistics and safeguard civilian populations.
Our partnership can go further. Ukraine is ready to develop joint investment and technology projects serving both countries. For Ukraine, this means rebuilding infrastructure, attracting investment and creating new production capacity. For Qatar, it offers opportunities to diversify investments, develop technological partnerships and strengthen economic and security resilience.
We are also interested in involving Qatari partners in humanitarian demining, medical assistance, reconstruction of social infrastructure and Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Ukraine has accumulated substantial practical expertise in countering modern security threats, developing unmanned technologies, protecting critical infrastructure and building civilian resilience. We are ready to share this experience with our friends and partners.
Ukraine’s 35 years of independence are about more than statehood. They are a story of responsibility, struggle and the ability of a people to defend their right to freedom.
On this Independence Day, as Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Qatar, I would like to express particular gratitude to His Highness the Amir and to the people of Qatar for their support for Ukraine, their humanitarian solidarity, and their assistance to Ukrainian children and families. We deeply appreciate the helping hand extended by Doha during some of the most difficult moments in Ukraine’s history.
I am convinced that Ukraine and Qatar have significant potential to further develop their strategic partnership — from humanitarian diplomacy and security to investment, technology, healthcare and reconstruction.
