On Sunday, August 24, U.S. President Donald Trump joined other world leaders in sending words of encouragement to Ukraine as the country marked its 34th Independence Day while still facing war and slow-moving peace talks.

In a message shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump praised Ukraine’s strength and said America believes in its future as a free and independent nation.

Trump wrote that Ukraine’s people have a spirit that cannot be broken and that their bravery inspires the world. He assured them that the U.S. respects their fight, values their sacrifices, and trusts in their future as a sovereign country.

He also said it was time to stop the “senseless killing” and promised that the United States continues to support peace efforts that protect Ukraine’s independence.

President Zelensky thanked Trump for his words and told Ukrainians that while victory is not yet complete, the country will not be defeated.

He said Ukraine is stronger, more confident, and will never again be forced into shameful compromises, stressing that the nation’s future is in its own hands.

World leaders including China’s President Xi Jinping, Britain’s King Charles, Pope Leo XIV, and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also sent messages.

Carney, making his first official visit to Kyiv, pledged Canada’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine.

However, the celebrations were overshadowed by ongoing fighting. Russian officials claimed that a Ukrainian drone strike caused a fire near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, though radiation levels were said to be safe. Ukrainian authorities have not responded to the claim.