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Envoy expresses gratitude to govt, people of Nigeria over solidarity with Ukraine
From Aidoghie Paulinus
The Government of Ukraine, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, marked Ukrainian Statehood Day, a national holiday that honours over a thousand years of the Ukrainian people’s uninterrupted journey towards their own state in Abuja.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria, in a statement made available to Daily Sun, said the date is highly symbolic because it was on July 15, 988, that the Baptism of Kyivan Rus’, a powerful medieval East Slavic state centred in Kyiv, considered the historical foundation of modern Ukraine, took place, an event that became foundational for the development of Ukrainian statehood and its integration into European civilisation.
In his remarks, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, said: “The Baptism of Rus’ under Prince Volodymyr the Great, and later the rule of his son, Yaroslav the Wise, were turning points in our history. It was during this time that Ukraine became one of the most powerful states in Europe, with high levels of education, literacy, law, culture, and architecture for that era. Even then, we were part of the European community—spiritually, politically, and intellectually.”
The Ukrainian Embassy added that this year, the holiday carried a tragic resonance as it is commemorated in the context of a full-scale war unleashed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
“In 2014, Russia initiated its aggression by illegally annexing the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In 2022, Russia started a full-scale invasion. Since then, Ukraine has been waging a large-scale defensive war to preserve its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and right to exist as an independent state,” the Ukrainian Embassy said.
Speaking further, Kholostenko said: “Today’s Ukrainian defenders are the heirs of generations of brave warriors who, for centuries, have fought for the freedom of their people. They continue the legacy of those who took up arms to protect their homeland from enslavement, resisted tyranny, and upheld dignity.”
The envoy further emphasised that the experience of struggling for freedom is deeply familiar and meaningful to the people of Nigeria, who also endured a long and difficult path to independence.
He stated that both nations paid a high price for the right to determine their own future.
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“Freedom has never been a gift—neither for Ukrainians nor for Nigerians. Ukraine and Nigeria have walked difficult and sacrificial paths towards independence. We understand the true cost of self-determination. We are both nations that reject imposed identities and defend our future in the face of force,” the envoy stated.
Kholostenko also said that Ukrainian Statehood Day is not only a commemoration of history but also a reminder of the ongoing threats to sovereignty in today’s world.
“As we mark over a thousand years of our statehood, we must also recognise that the struggle for sovereignty is not over—not for Ukraine, and not for many others. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is part of a broader neo-imperialist and neo-colonial strategy that reaches far beyond Europe.
“We are witnessing how the Kremlin seeks to expand its influence across African countries—through destabilisation, disinformation, mercenary operations, and the exploitation of local resources. This is not partnership—this is a modern form of colonialism hiding behind friendly rhetoric. And that is why Statehood Day matters: it is a reminder that sovereignty must be protected, not assumed. What is being tested in Ukraine today could be repeated elsewhere if we let it pass unanswered,” Kholostenko warned.
He expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Nigeria for their solidarity with Ukraine.
“In these times, support is more than a diplomatic gesture. It is a signal to the world that there are still partners who stand on the side of justice, dignity, and every nation’s right to be itself,” he also said.
Despite the war, Kholostenko emphasised that Ukraine is not only defending itself, it is writing a new chapter of European history.
He stated that the restoration of Ukrainian statehood is a historical process that spans centuries, from the princely era, through the Cossack republics and the liberation movements of the 20th century, to the present day.
