After gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine became a sovereign and independent, democratic, social and law-based state. According to the Constitution of Ukraine (Конституція України), the territory of Ukraine within its present borders is integral and inviolable.
Ukraine is the largest country entirely located in Europe. Its area is 603,700 km², which constitutes 5.7% of Europe and 0.44% of the world's territory. The country covers the south-western part of the Eastern European Plain, part of the Eastern Carpathians and the Crimean Mountains.
According to data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the population of Ukraine exceeded 41 million at the end of 2021. However, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022 has resulted in the displacement of over 6.5 million Ukrainian refugees. As of mid-2024, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that 5.9 million refugees were currently located in Europe.
In Ukraine, people and their lives, health, honour, dignity, inviolability and security are recognised as the highest social values. Human rights and freedoms, along with their guarantees, determine the nature and direction of state activities. The people are the bearers of sovereignty and the sole source of power in Ukraine.
Social life in Ukraine is based on the principles of political, economic and ideological diversity. No ideology is recognised by the state as mandatory.
The practice of censorship is proscribed. The state guarantees the freedom of political activity, provided that it is not prohibited by the Constitution or the laws of Ukraine.
The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement of 14 June 1994 was the first legal basis for relations between Ukraine and the European Union. This was followed by the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which entered into force on 1 September 2017. Despite Russia's large-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, the country officially applied for EU membership on 28 February and was granted candidate status on 23 June 2022. Today, the Ukrainian government is working to align with EU directives and standards in preparation for full EU membership. On 25 June 2024, the First Intergovernmental Conference between Ukraine and the European Union was held in Luxembourg, marking the start of official negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU.
The Ukrainian people continue their heroic struggle for independence, state sovereignty and European democratic values.