Copy of Charles XII of Sweden’s letter recognizing independence of Zaporizhzhia Sich brought to Ukraine

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 of King Charles XII, dated 1711, from the National Archives of Sweden.

"In the letter, he gives instructions to the Swedish ambassador to recognize Zaporizhzhia Sich as an independent state, as a subject of international law, so that there is no oppression 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 Prime Minister of Sweden.

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 a fragment from its translation: "For the article on the freedom of Ukraine and all Cossacks to be implemented as soon as possible, for their long-time freedom, ownership of their land, and former borders to be returned to all of Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia Army led by incumbent commander Pylyp Orlyk, for this people to become an independent state from now on and not to ever submit to or be protected by the king."

As reported, Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson is on a working visit to Ukraine on July 4. As part of her visit, she visited Bucha and Borodianka, Kyiv region, liberated from the Russian invaders.

In August 2021, the original Latin-language version of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk was delivered to Ukraine from the National Archives of Sweden for the first time.

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