‘Fight for freedom' Pennsylvania Rep. looks to declare Ukrainian Independence Day
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A Representative announced plans to introduce legislation that would declare Ukrainian Independence Day in the Commonwealth.
The bill, authored by Rep. Chris Pielli (D – Chester), would designate Aug. 24, 2025, as 'Ukrainian Independence Day' in Pennsylvania. Pielli argued that the Commonwealth has made important contributions to Ukraine's defense and 'fight for freedom,' with Pennsylvania munitions plants providing critical weaponry.
'Knowing Pennsylvania's history as the cradle of freedom and democracy, it is vital that we recognize and support the same spirit of 1776 exhibited by the brave Ukrainian freedom fighters,' Pielli wrote in the legislation.
On Aug. 24, 1991, Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union, with over 90% of voters in the country supporting an independence referendum. In 1994, as part of the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to completely relinquish its nuclear arsenal in exchange for an assurance that the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia would respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and refrain from the use or threat of military force.
In February 2022, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. In the three years since Pielli noted that Russia has killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians while destroying large swaths of Ukraine. More recently, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was ready for a ceasefire but suggested that Ukraine had further conditions to accept before any agreement could be settled.
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