Wednesday marked 31 years since Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Ukrainian refugees, dressed in national clothes and waving blue-and-yellow flags, filled the Polish capital’s Castle Square in the evening to honour the occasion.
They were accompanied by Poles and Belarusians who also came to mark Ukraine’s special day.
It came exactly six months after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with the rally calling for Russia to be designated a terrorist state.
Messages from Zelensky, Duda
After singing the Ukrainian and Polish national anthems, the vast crowd watched pre-recorded video messages from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Polish head of state Andrzej Duda.
Zelensky said that in the face of Russian aggression, the Ukrainian nation had shown “bravery that has inspired the whole world.”
He added: “Over the past six months, we have changed history, we have changed the world and we ourselves have changed as well.”
“Now we know full well who really is our brother and friend and who is an accidental acquaintance,” Zelensky stated.
He also vowed Ukraine would regain all of its territory, including the Crimean Peninsula and the eastern Donbas region.
Meanwhile, the Polish president sent his best wishes to the Ukrainian people on their special day, noting Poland had been the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence in 1991.
Duda said: “Today we also stand by you in solidarity as Ukraine is defending its freedom, repelling the Russian aggressors.”
“I know that you will prevail,” he added.
‘Long live independent Ukraine, long live free Poland’
“May friendship firmly unite Poles and Ukrainians! Long live an independent Ukraine! Long live a free Poland!” the Polish head of state said in his address.
Later, those gathered in Castle Square watched a video-taped message from Ukrainian troops, who extended their best wishes to compatriots based in Poland.
Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski also addressed the rally, telling Ukrainians that “we will always stand with you.”
Meanwhile, organisers repeatedly thanked Poland and Polish people for welcoming Ukrainian war refugees, most of whom are women and children, the PAP news agency reported.
Wednesday was day 182 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, polskatimes.pl, prezydent.pl