KIEV, Ukraine

Turkey and Ukraine on Wednesday celebrated the 29th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Emine Dzheppar, deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, hailed the relations between the two countries in a tweet. “We highly value the strong connection between Ukraine and Turkey. Turkic heritage of Ukraine and its indigenous people - Crimean Tatars - is a cornerstone of our friendship,” she said.

She stressed the "great potential of the strategic partnership” between Ukraine and Turkey.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry marked the day in a tweet saying: “We value our cooperation with our strategic partner #Ukraine. Will continue to develop our relations in every field.”

Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey Andrii Sybiha also tweeted that Ukraine-Turkey cooperation has a centuries-old history, with a promising future ahead.

“We wish two countries a strategic partnership, successful and mutually beneficial for many years!” he wrote.

Turkey officially recognized Ukraine’s independence on Dec. 16, 1991, after its separation from the Soviet Union.