Ukraine
Border guards march during Ukraine's Independence Day military parade in the centre of Kiev, Ukraine, August 24, 2015. President Petro Poroshenko said on Monday Ukraine was facing a precarious year, warning that Russia had several strategies to undermine Kiev's attempts to move towards Europe. Reuters/Gleb Garanich

A Russian lawmaker called Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations “ironic.” He wondered how the country could celebrate its independence when it was heavily depended on Western loans.

Alexey Pushkov, the head of Russia’s State Duma International Affairs Committee, said that it was ironic that a country heavily depending on the outside world is celebrating its independence. According to him, Ukraine should realize it is not helpful for its economy and independence to have a conflict with Russia.

"Frankly speaking, the celebration of [Ukraine’s] Independence Day looks quite ironic, even though I understand that [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko does not feel this irony," Pushkov told the Russian News Service, "There has not been greater extent of Ukraine’s dependence on the outside world, on Western lenders, on the United States over the past 25 years of Ukraine’s existence as an independent country."

Pushkov said that Ukraine should be more realistic in the assessment of its economic prospects. He added that Ukraine was on the verge of default as it did not have financial resources.

Ukraine celebrated the 24th anniversary of its independence from the former Soviet Union Monday. President Petro Poroshenko said during the celebration that the country was going to fight against Russia’s efforts to undermine it.

Voice of America reported that there was “mounting evidence” of Russia providing military support to pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. However, the Kremlin has so far denied its involvement in the political unrest in the region.

Unlike previous years, Ukraine decided to include no military hardware as a part of the celebration. Poroshenko said that the campaign for independence could continue for decades. Ukraine can achieve true independence by achieving “joint defensive efforts, diplomatic knowledge, political responsibility and iron self-control," he added.