Zelensky thanks President Murmu for Ukraine Independence Day wishes, pledges stronger India ties
Synopsis
As Ukraine marked its 35th Independence Day, President Zelensky's public thank-you to President Murmu — paired with a direct pledge to deepen India-Ukraine ties — highlights how Kyiv is actively courting New Delhi even as India maintains its carefully balanced stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu sent Independence Day greetings to Ukraine on Tuesday , marking Ukraine's 35th Independence Day .
President Zelensky publicly thanked Murmu, calling a dignified end to Russia's war ‘the most cherished dream of millions of Ukrainians.’ Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked EAM S.
Jaishankar for his congratulatory message and expressed hope for deeper India-Ukraine ties.
Indian Ambassador Anjani Kumar attended official Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv and personally greeted Sybiha.
The Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi held a separate commemoration attended by Charge d’Affaires Artem Nosko and Ukrainian community head Maryna Akram .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 26 August expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu and the people of India after receiving congratulatory greetings on Ukraine's 35th Independence Day. The exchange marks a visible diplomatic signal from both sides as the Russia-Ukraine war continues to shape global alignments.
Zelensky's Message to India
Taking to social media, Zelensky said, “I was glad to receive felicitations for the people of Ukraine from the President of India. Thank you for the wishes of peace.” He added: “A dignified end to Russia’s war is the most cherished dream of millions of Ukrainians as we mark the 35th Anniversary of the Restoration of our Independence. It is important that the whole world, together, helps build a path towards it.”
Reaffirming bilateral intent, Zelensky stated, “I also reaffirm Ukraine’s commitment to further building a mutually beneficial dialogue with India.”
Jaishankar-Sybiha Exchange
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for his congratulatory message and expressed hope that India-Ukraine ties would deepen further. The exchange between the two foreign ministers underscores a gradual warming in diplomatic engagement between the two nations, even as India has maintained a carefully balanced position on the conflict.
India's Presence at Kyiv Celebrations
Indian Ambassador to Ukraine, Anjani Kumar, attended the official Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv and conveyed India's greetings to the Ukrainian leadership. In a post on X, Kumar said: “Independence Day of Ukraine. At the celebration of Ukraine's 35th Independence Day in Kyiv today, I had the honour to greet and congratulate H.E. Andrii Sybiha, Hon’ble Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. I also conveyed greetings of Hon’ble External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar.”
Ukrainian Community Marks the Day in New Delhi
The Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi also held a commemorative event. Charge d’Affaires Artem Nosko and Maryna Akram, Head of the Ukrainian Community in India, addressed the gathering. According to the Embassy’s post on X, Nosko “reflected on Ukraine’s thousand-year history and tradition of statehood, our long struggle for freedom and the strength of a nation that has repeatedly defended its right to exist, to speak its own language and to determine its own future.” Akram read a poem dedicated to Ukraine, to the “feeling of home” and to the “bond with one’s country that no distance can break.”
What This Signals
India has so far walked a diplomatic tightrope on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, abstaining on key United Nations votes while maintaining economic ties with Moscow. The visible warmth in these Independence Day exchanges — involving the President, the External Affairs Minister, and the Ambassador — suggests New Delhi is carefully nurturing its relationship with Kyiv without abandoning its strategic autonomy. How far this translates into substantive policy shifts remains to be seen.
Point of View
The External Affairs Minister, and the on-ground Ambassador simultaneously. That is not routine courtesy; it is calibrated signalling. Yet the gap between warm exchanges and substantive policy alignment remains wide: India has not condemned Russia's invasion, continues to import discounted Russian crude, and has abstained on UN resolutions. Kyiv knows this, which is precisely why Zelensky's public thank-you doubles as a gentle nudge — keeping New Delhi visible in Ukraine's diplomatic orbit in the hope that India's eventual peace-process role tilts in Ukraine's favour. Whether India is willing to leverage that goodwill into anything concrete is the question mainstream coverage consistently sidesteps.
NationPress
26 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Zelensky thank President Murmu?
President Droupadi Murmu sent congratulatory greetings to Ukraine on the occasion of its 35th Independence Day, and President Zelensky publicly thanked her via social media, welcoming India's wishes for peace.
What did Zelensky say about the Russia-Ukraine war?
Zelensky said a dignified end to Russia's war is ‘the most cherished dream of millions of Ukrainians’ and called on the whole world to help build a path towards it, marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
How did India participate in Ukraine's Independence Day?
India's participation was three-pronged: President Murmu sent official greetings, EAM Jaishankar sent a congratulatory message to Foreign Minister Sybiha, and Ambassador Anjani Kumar attended the official celebrations in Kyiv in person.
What did Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha say about India-Ukraine ties?
Sybiha thanked EAM Jaishankar for his congratulatory message and expressed hope that India-Ukraine ties would deepen further, signalling Kyiv's intent to strengthen the bilateral relationship.
How has India positioned itself on the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
India has maintained a position of strategic autonomy, abstaining on key UN votes related to the conflict while continuing economic ties with Russia. The warm diplomatic exchanges on Ukraine's Independence Day reflect New Delhi's effort to keep channels open with Kyiv without a formal policy shift.
