Today, for the third time in our history, we celebrate the Day of Unity of Ukraine, established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr ZELENSKY on February 14, 2022. This was done, as we now know, exactly 10 days before the start of the large-scale invasion of our country by the Moscow under-empire. The ominous and deadly breath of war was already felt, and the news of the accumulation of Horde troops on our border was becoming more and more alarming. Therefore, the purpose of this decree of the President of Ukraine was clear: to consolidate the nation on the eve of great trials, probably the greatest in the life of each of us. Participants in the Unity Day rally unfurled a two-hundred-meter-long national flag at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, and in cities and villages across Ukraine people held up posters saying “Let's pray for our Ukraine!” and “Unity is above all!”, hung national flags, and rejoiced in the peaceful sky and sun, and this joy had not yet acquired sacred significance.
Our history has developed in such a way that for more than a thousand years we have had to fight for our unity, identity and independence, because these processes and concepts are interconnected and interdependent. The fundamental foundations of the unity of Ukraine and Rus were laid by the Grand Prince of Kyiv, Volodymyr Monomakh (1053-1125). In 1097, when the state, which was suffering from devastating raids by the steppe people, needed unity and a leader to lead the resistance to the Polovtsians, Volodymyr Monomakh convened a congress of princes in Lyubech. Nestor the Chronicler wrote about this meeting in his Tale of Bygone Years: “And they gathered in Lyubech to make peace and talked among themselves, saying: 'Why are we ruining the Russian land and making strife among ourselves? And the Polovtsians are dividing our land apart and rejoice that there is still an army between us. From now on, let us unite in one heart and preserve the Russian land...” When you read these lines, associations with the present are inevitable. There are “devastating raids,” “strife,” and the joy of foreigners that “the army is among us to this day.” And the conclusion is relevant: “From now on, let us unite in one heart and preserve the Russian (Ukrainian) land...” We should recall that it was our present-day Ukrainian lands that were then called Rus. It seems that this was written not in 1097, but in February 2025!
“And all of us together on the earth
Give us single-mindedness
And send brotherly love”
“Prayer” (1860)
On August 24, 1991, Ukraine's state independence was restored. Ukraine has come a long way to become an independent state, united and indivisible. Therefore, the celebration of the Day of Unity once again unites Ukrainians, emphasizes their patriotism and readiness to unite for the sake of their country, as the most important thing in the life of every person is their homeland. The famous Ukrainian songwriter Vadym KRYSHCHENKO in his poem “One and Only”, which became the lyrics of a popular song, writes:
“You are the only one in the whole world,
The sun shines from your name.
One and only, one and only,
My dear Ukraine!”
We highly appreciate the international unity and resolve in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and independence. Preserving this unity is vital to returning peace and security to Europe and the world. We are strong - together!
The contemporary Ukrainian poet Maria Skochilis wrote the following heartfelt lines about the current situation in Ukraine:
“I pray to the sky, I pray and believe,
That everything will end, that it will soon be over
Hold on, my dear Ukraine,
Fight for your life, my dear!”
Volodymyr Hrechenko - Professor of Ukrainian History
