Ukraine marks 35 years of independence as leaders focus on the price of sovereignty

Ukraine marked 35 years of independence on Aug. 24, with Alona Lebedieva of Aurum Group arguing that sovereignty is sustained by institutions, business resilience and daily work, not just a declaration. The anniversary also sharpened attention on what comes next: a stronger economy, trusted institutions and long-term investment in Ukraine’s future.

Why it matters: - Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day is being framed as a test of what sovereignty costs in practice, not just a national celebration. - The message lands during a period when Ukraine’s resilience depends on its military, economy, public institutions and private sector working at the same time. - The anniversary also points to a bigger question: whether Ukraine can move from preserving statehood to improving the quality of the state.

What happened: - Ukraine marked 35 years of independence on Aug. 24. - Alona Lebedieva, identified with Aurum Group, said 35 years is a short period for a state, especially one with a much longer history of statehood. - Lebedieva pointed to 1918, when the Ukrainian People’s Republic proclaimed independence, and to Aug. 24, 1991, when the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. - The declaration referred to the continuation of a thousand-year tradition of state-building. - More than 90% of participants in the Dec. 1 referendum supported independence. - Lebedieva argued that 1991 was not the beginning of Ukrainian history, but the moment Ukraine regained the chance to shape its own future.

The details: - Lebedieva said independence requires daily work, not only a formal declaration or international recognition. - She said a state stays independent when it has strong institutions, a competitive economy, human capital, and energy and technological capacity. - She said businesses help build that independence when they create products, invest, train workers, pay taxes, enter international markets and plan long term. - Lebedieva described resilience as the result of many daily decisions, including keeping commitments, retaining teams, finding new markets, restructuring logistics and continuing investment under pressure. - She said Ukraine’s past few years have shown how much depends on responsibility in public administration, the military, business, local communities, education, healthcare and daily life. - Lebedieva thanked the Ukrainian military and everyone defending the country. - She thanked partners in Ukraine and abroad for continuing joint projects, seeking new solutions and viewing Ukraine through its future opportunities as well as current risks. - She singled out teams across company operations for showing up each day, launching production, negotiating, serving clients, creating new products and keeping businesses running. - Lebedieva said this often unseen work builds economic resilience.

Between the lines: - The remarks tie independence to economic and institutional capacity, not only to national identity or military defense. - The focus on everyday business decisions suggests a broader argument that private-sector continuity is part of national security. - The anniversary message also signals a forward-looking agenda: Ukraine’s next phase should be about quality of statehood, not only survival.

What's next: - Lebedieva said Ukraine’s next stage should focus on an economy that can compete for capital and talent. - She called for modern industry, energy, technology and education. - She also called for institutions that people trust. - Her vision centers on a country where people want to stay and build a long-term future. - Lebedieva said 35 years is enough time to understand the cost of independence, but only the beginning of what Ukraine can do with it.