The address of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk on the occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood
28 July 2023, 09:00
Dear unbreakable, courageous Ukrainian people!
Today we celebrate the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.
This is a very young holiday. But it is of great importance and has deep historical roots.
Ukraine’s independence was proclaimed just over thirty years ago, but the traditions of Ukrainian statehood have a thousand-year history.
It begins with the founding of Kyivan Rus and its heyday under Prince Volodymyr the Great, who, by adopting Christianity in 988, defined the civilisational choice of the state.
A thousand years of ups and downs followed.
Ups, when Ukrainians restored their statehood. Downs, when they were oppressed by other states. But at every turn of the century, the Ukrainian people sought to create their own state. A state of its own! It would be independent of external forces and governed solely by the will of Ukrainians.
Galicia-Volyn Principality, Ukrainian Cossack State, Ukrainian People’s Republic, Western Ukrainian People’s Republic, Ukrainian State, Carpathian Ukraine. This is our history.
Danylo Halytskyi, Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Pavlo Skoropadskyi, Augustyn Voloshyn are our historical figures.
Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrainka, Mykola Kostomarov, Volodymyr Antonovych, Mykhailo Drahomanov – this is our heritage.
And today is more than just the Day of Statehood. This is a day that ties together the centuries-long formation of Ukraine as a state, its identity and the realisation that the Ukrainian nation is independent, self-sufficient and self-reliant.
It has always been and always will be.
It is the future – the free future of our Ukraine –
that we are fighting for today. We are fighting against those who are used to
living in slavery. Those who came to our land with weapons, came to kill and
destroy.
Those who saw resistance.
The resistance of the multimillion Ukrainian people. The resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our soldiers, courageous and loyal defenders who are fighting for our statehood.
They are fighting with the blue and yellow flag so that they will never see the russian tricolour in front of their eyes.
They are fighting! And they are bringing the Victory closer!
The victory of Ukraine!
Which will become the foundation for the next millennia, an independent, strong and prosperous state.
Glory to Ukraine and glory to its Heroes!