Dear Ukrainians!
On July 15, we mark an important day. The Day of our Statehood.
The Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus–Ukraine. This day is about connection. About every stage of our statehood and about the bond that unites dozens of generations: those who lived in this land a thousand years ago and those who live here today.
A bridge through time, standing on three unshakable pillars: Ukrainians were here, Ukrainians are here, Ukrainians will be here.
And on this land, life always triumphs. Values and our character prevail – the best in our people, who, despite war, tears, and pain, have preserved their humanity, and who protect one another, which means they protect their state.
And this is proven by thousands of our fates, thousands of our stories of what we have lived through, of what each heart carries, whoever you are: a warrior, a teacher, a musician, a drone engineer, or the President.
These are stories of our days, nights, and mornings. Of the night on the contact line, described by a serviceman: "They’re pressing. Swarming from all directions. We’re holding. And you – hold on too. We are reading the news about the shelling of peaceful cities. What can I say… This is a war that affects every one of us. And may God grant peace to us all."
And this post, late at night in the subway, is being read by a young mother holding her little daughter. And the little girl looks around so attentively, as if trying to remember it all, to one day tell her children about these nights in the subway, about this peak of the human spirit.
When a grandfather inflates a mattress for his three grandchildren, gently tucks them in with a blanket, and hears: "Grandpa, and a cartoon?" And as he pulls out the tablet, he says: "Of course, Cossacks, how could we skip the cartoon?"
And not far away, people are settling close together in sleeping bags on a hard floor, but with just as hard a resolve within: the resolve to overcome this night. And on nights like this – on platforms, in parking lots, shelters, corridors, and bathrooms – phone screens flicker with dozens of alerts: "Incoming." "Air defense is at work." "Stay in shelters."
And we stay – so that we can remain Ukrainians, in our own state, on our own land. So that we can see the sun rise and, despite everything, say to each other: “Good morning!”
And we always have faith that this moment will come. Just as it always has – through the centuries, in Rus, at the Sich, in every era. No matter who the enemy was or where they came from, no hostile force has ever survived on this land or taken root here. And Ukraine endures. It remains itself.
And the morning always comes.
And though you might want to sleep a little longer, you find the strength to rise. You text your loved ones, and you are happy to know everything’s fine. You read another post from that same warrior: "Attack repelled! Got a couple of hours to catch our breath." And someone else writes: "We urgently need a few things…" You chip in for the fundraiser and step outside.
And on that morning, walking through the city, your city, you see your people all around. You see faces and eyes that, despite everything, still hold life.
You see cafés opening despite everything, transport running despite everything.
And you understand: the state is its people – their strength, resilience, sincerity, their light.
At bus stops, in traffic jams, in the morning coffee queue, when everyone is slowing down a bit because they had only a few hours of sleep. But everyone knows this and treats those around them with such understanding and warmth. Their fellow Ukrainians, who have held on for 1,238 days.
And each of those days, we overcome together. United – through action, through help, through support, by lifting each other up – and, of course, by sharing a laugh. Sometimes, because we can’t do without it.
And when the ladies from municipal services are planting flowers in the park, you hear them say: “Let that ‘rusnia’ choke — it’s summer here, and everything’s got to be beautiful!”
And every such night is the night of resilience, every such morning is the morning of unity, when life triumphs nonetheless; they reveal who we truly are.
We often hear from partners, "How do your people pull it off? Such fortitude, such endurance, such inner steel…" They say, “It’s a phenomenon of the Ukrainian people.”
Yes, those are kind words to hear. However, today, Ukrainians are holding on not for that, not for the loud accolades directed at us. We are simply people defending our home. And we cannot do otherwise – because we do not want otherwise. We do not want Russia here. That is the whole truth.
And everything Ukraine lives through each day is not routine. It is a great cause, carried by you. The heroes at the front. Those holding the line. Those intercepting missiles and “shaheds” every night. Those extinguishing fires, those clearing rubble. And every citizen who has endured throughout this difficult time.
I thank you. Millions of Ukrainians. Millions of characters, who together form our state. Our nation, our history, and our path from the Baptism of Rus–Ukraine to this very day. To the Day of our Statehood – and to the wisdom of every generation that helps us hold on, believe in ourselves, believe in Ukraine, and believe that we will succeed.
Because Ukrainians were here, Ukrainians are here, Ukrainians will be here.
Happy Statehood Day, fellow citizens!
Happy Day of the Baptism of Rus–Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!