Today, Ukraine celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its historic self-determination referendum held on December 1, 1991. On that day, an overwhelming 92% of voters, representing 84% of the electorate, supported independence. This moment marked a turning point in the country’s history after decades of Soviet domination.
A few months earlier, on August 24, 1991, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, had adopted the Declaration of Independence Act. This document proclaimed the creation of a sovereign and democratic Ukrainian state and called for a referendum to seek direct approval from the electorate. The results of the December 1 vote were unequivocal, with majorities in favor of independence in every region of Ukraine, including Donetsk and Luhansk, where 84% voted for independence, and even in Crimea, where 54% approved. This broad consensus reflected a profound national desire to forge an independent future. 
The following day, the international community, including Russia, recognized Ukraine’s independence. This referendum solidified Ukraine’s sovereignty and marked the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 1994, Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia, which guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity and security in exchange for its ratification of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This international agreement was meant to protect Ukraine from any external threats or aggression.
However, these guarantees were violated starting in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and invaded parts of the Donbas region. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 marked a tragic escalation, bringing massive destruction, significant loss of life—including many civilians—and the displacement of millions. In response, an unprecedented international mobilization has arisen to support Ukraine in its courageous fight to uphold its sovereignty and defend its inalienable right to freedom.
As Ukraine commemorates this anniversary, it reminds the world of the importance of respecting the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty. These values, upheld by the voice of the people in 1991, remain central to the current struggle for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
