Ukraine is a sovereign country and a unitary semi-presidential republic in Eastern Europe, bordering Russia to the east and northeast. It is the largest country located entirely within Europe, with a total area of 603,628 sq km. The country's capital and largest city is Kyiv.
The modern state of Ukraine declared its independence on August 24, 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, of which it had been a founding republic since December 30, 1922. This independence resolved the problem of centuries of foreign rule, which saw Ukrainian lands controlled by powers like the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire after the decline of the medieval state of Kyivan Rus' in the 13th century. The Constitution of Ukraine was adopted on June 28, 1996, establishing the framework for its government.
The government mechanism is a semi-presidential system where executive power is shared between the President, who is the head of state and commander-in-chief, and the Cabinet of Ministers led by the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. The unicameral parliament is the Verkhovna Rada, which consists of 450 members. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President with the consent of the legislature.
Ukraine's history and current geopolitical position connect it to concepts of Euro-Atlantic integration, with membership in the European Union (EU) and NATO being primary foreign policy objectives. The country is also known as the "breadbasket of Europe" due to its fertile black soil and significant role as a global exporter of agricultural products like wheat and sunflower oil.
The political system has undergone significant recent changes; the 2004 amendments to the Constitution, which shifted power toward the parliament, were reinstated in February 2014 after the Euromaidan protests, replacing the 2010 reversal. The most significant recent change is the ongoing conflict following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, which has led to a war of attrition and a massive displacement of the population. The international community, including the EU, has responded with the Ukraine Facility, which entered into force on March 1, 2024, providing over €50 billion in support for recovery and modernization.