UNOV Director-General and UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma visits Ukraine to mark 35th Anniversary of the Restoration of Independence

Ms. Juma took part in official events marking the anniversary, joining Ukrainian authorities and the international community in commemorating a milestone for the people of Ukraine and reaffirming solidarity with them at this difficult time, more than four years into Russia's full-scale invasion.

During her visit, Ms. Juma met with a number of senior Ukrainian officials, including the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Ihor Zhovkva, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha and Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation and how UNODC can best align its support to Ukraine's priorities and needs. She also met with the Assistant Secretary-General and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, to discuss coordination across the UN system in Ukraine and UNODC's role within it. 

Alongside these engagements, Ms. Juma reaffirmed UNODC's continued support to Ukraine's anti-corruption, justice and law enforcement institutions. She met with Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Vyhivskyi, Minister of Justice Denys Maslov, and senior officials leading the country's response to crime and drugs — threats that have intensified as the war continues. She also held discussions with Viktor Pavlushchyk, Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP); Semen Kryvonos, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU); and representatives of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) and the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine (SARDI), on strengthening transparency and integrity across Ukraine's institutions.

In addition, she visited the Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre and Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi Railway Station, where she saw the impact of UNODC's work supporting Ukraine's penitentiary system and countering illicit firearms trafficking. 

"I was honoured to represent the UN Secretary-General in Kyiv as Ukraine marked 35 years of independence, standing alongside the Ukrainian people in a moment of profound national significance," said Ms. Juma. "What stays with me is their resilience, their determination and their belief in a safer future." 

The visit underscored the United Nations' continued solidarity with Ukraine and its people as the country marks 35 years of independence amid wartime conditions.