Copy of Charles XII’s letter from Sweden recognizing Zaporizhzhia Sich’s independence brought to Ukraine
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson brought to Ukraine a copy of King Charles XII’s letter dated 1711 with instructions on the recognition of Zaporizhzhia Sich as an independent state.
At a joint briefing with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Andersson said that she had brought a special gift to Ukraine – a copy of a letter from King Charles XII, dated 1711, from the Swedish National Archives.
“In the letter, he instructs the Swedish ambassador to recognize Zaporizhzhia Sich as an independent state, as a subject of international law, so that there is no repression from the Moscow tsar. I think it fits very well in the current political context. Already at the beginning of the 18th century, our king was impressed by Cossacks and Cossack democracy “, said the Swedish Prime Minister.
One of Sweden’s successful projects in Ukraine 300 years later is local self-government and grassroots democracy, the official added.
Zelensky demonstrated the document and read an excerpt from its translation: “For the implementation of the article on the freedom of Ukraine and all Cossacks as soon as possible, for their long-standing freedom, ownership of their land and former borders to be returned to all of Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia army led by incumbent Pylyp Orlyk, so that from now on these people will become an independent state and never submit to or be protected by the king. “
As reported, Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson is on a working visit to Ukraine on 4 July. As part of her visit, she visited Bucha and Borodianka, the Kiev region, liberated from Russian invaders.
In August 2021, the Latin-language original version of Pylyp Orlyk’s constitution was delivered to Ukraine from the Swedish National Archives for the first time.
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