Ukrainian Independence Day this year surely turned out to be one to celebrate. And for several reasons.
First of all, there was the impressive military parade in Kyiv – minus the heavy weaponry that had proceeded down the Khreshchatyk last year. This year’s parade featured various military units proudly marching down the capital city’s main boulevard to the cheers, and tears, of onlookers. There were many Ukrainian soldiers, veterans and cadets, but what was perhaps most notable was the participation of military units from abroad, including those from the United States and Canada. “I have confidence in our allies,” President Petro Poroshenko said in his speech on that day, and he expressed thanks to the defense ministers and troops from Britain, Georgia, Estonia, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania and the United States for attending or marching in the parade.
President Donald Trump sent a letter of congratulations to President Poroshenko. “From the day Ukraine declared independence on August 24, 1991, and particularly since the Revolution of Dignity, the United States has supported Ukraine’s aspirations of becoming a truly European nation,” Mr. Trump wrote, according to the press service of Ukraine’s president. He underscored that “the United States will continue to support these goals and work with you, our European partners, and other like-minded countries to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Most notable, from our perspective, was the presence in Kyiv of U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, who said, “This is a day that’s going to live long in my memory, to feel the refreshing sense of independence, of freedom, and a reminder to me, as an American, not to take something for granted, because our country’s had it so long.” The secretary noted that the fact he stood alongside President Poroshenko on Ukrainian Independence Day was “a tangible demonstration of our unity and solidarity.” Our hopes were buoyed by his unambivalent words of support for Ukraine: “Have no doubt, the United States stands with Ukraine. We support you in the face of threats to your sovereignty and territorial integrity, to international law and to the international order. We do not, and we will not, accept Russia’s seizure of Crimea. And despite Russia’s denials, we know they are seeking to redraw international borders by force, undermining the sovereign and free nations of Europe.” Asked by a correspondent for The New York Times about the provision of Javelins and defensive lethal arms to Ukraine, Secretary Mattis responded succinctly and distinctly: “Defensive weapons are not provocative unless you’re an aggressor and, clearly, Ukraine is not an aggressor, since it’s their own territory where the fighting is happening.”
Similarly, Ambassador Kurt Volker, U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations, had told Current Time TV that he did not believe providing Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons would provoke Russia. “I hear these arguments that it’s somehow provocative to Russia or that it’s going to embolden Ukraine to attack. These are just flat out wrong.” Providing lethal defensive weapons, he said, would allow Kyiv to “defend itself if Russia were to take further steps against Ukrainian territory.” Ambassador Volker, it should be noted, also was in Kyiv for the Independence Day celebrations.
All in all, the events of August 24, 2017, demonstrated that Ukraine is not alone in its struggle against Russian aggression, invasion and occupation. Thank you to Ukraine’s staunch allies.