Kiev [Ukraine], August 25: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated his compatriots on Independence Day on Sunday, exactly three and a half years after the war began.
"We are building a Ukraine strong and powerful enough to live in security and peace," Zelensky said in an address shared on Telegram.
In the video, he is seen against the backdrop of Kiev's Independence Square. He said the imposing statue of liberty on the Maidan was also a symbol of the indestructibility of Ukraine, which has withstood Russia's war of aggression for three and a half years.
Zelensky said the war had led to a new sense of self-worth among Ukrainians, who no longer relied on the goodwill of others but took their fate into their own hands and were ready to fight for their freedom.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Kiev on Sunday to meet Zelensky. Canada is part of the so-called Coalition of the Willing supporting Ukraine and is also home to a large Ukrainian community.
"On this Ukrainian Independence Day, and at this critical moment in their nation's history, Canada is stepping up our support and our efforts towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine," Carney posted on X following his arrival.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also marked Ukraine's Independence Day by stressing Berlin's ongoing support for Kiev. "As the country marks Independence Day, we stand firmly by their side - today and in the future," Merz posted on X in German, English and Ukrainian.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen honoured Ukraine's fight for a "free, democratic and independent" country. "We are with you, for as long as it takes. Because a free Ukraine means a free Europe," von der Leyen wrote on X.
Western leaders have repeatedly emphasized their ongoing support for Kiev, particularly against the backdrop of a less clear position from Washington since US President Donald Trump re-entered the White House.
The Wall Street Journal reported citing officials that the Pentagon has for months been blocking the use of longer range missiles, such as the US-supplied ATACMS, for attacks on targets in Russia.
Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, last year lifted restrictions on the use of long-range missiles. Trump has made conflicting comments on the war.
Also on Sunday, Ukrainian drone attacks hit an oil refinery in the Russian Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, setting it alight. Ten drones were shot down over the port, the governor of Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, wrote on Telegram.
Another refinery was attacked in the Volga region of Samara, media reported. Around 20 explosions were heard in the city of Syzran, according to the independent portal Astra.
Samara Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed the attack on an "industrial object" in a post on Telegram, but gave no further detail on the target or the damage caused.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that air defences had shot down a Ukrainian drone near the Kursk nuclear power plant in the west of the country. The drone exploded when it crashed and damaged an auxiliary transformer, TASS reported.
Amid moves promoted by Trump for Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dampened expectations and said that a meeting of this kind needs thorough preparation.
Lavrov also repeated demands that would be difficult for Kiev to meet.
On Sunday, Zelensky received Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, in Kiev. Kellogg is seen as the US administration official that sympathizes with Kiev most strongly.
Source: Qatar Tribune