A now-legendary country for many due to its military resistance to Russia, Ukraine is a large and beautiful country with a mild sunny climate, diverse landscapes ranging from steppes to beaches to mountains, deeply-rooted folk traditions and warm hospitality backed-up by an excellent hearty cuisine.

Iranian-speaking nomadic Scythians and Sarmatians coexisted with Greek, Roman and Germanic Goth colonists until the arrival of Huns and then Slavs. Speaking Old East Slavic, Eastern Slavs established a powerful centralized state of Kievan Rus with Kyiv (Kiev) as its heart. In 988, Prince Volodymyr the Great converted Rus to Orthodox Christianity, aligning it with the Byzantine world. However, the 1240 Mongol invasion shattered this early unity, leading to cc. of fragmentation and foreign rule. Western Rus (modern Ukraine and Belarus) fell under the Polish-Lithuanian domination while North-Eastern Rus (modern Russia) fell to Mongol rule and political fragmentation until the rise of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The common Eastern Slavic language split up with modern Russian absorbing Turkic and Mongol influences and structures, and Ukrainian retaining the features of Eastern Slavic and incorporating Polish and Lithuanian influences. For much of its history, Ukraine was contested between powerful neighbors—Poland, Lithuania, the Ottoman Empire, and later Russia and Austria-Hungary. The 17th c. saw the rise of the Cossacks, a fiercely independent warrior society that challenged Polish and Russian dominance. Their leader, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, led a major uprising in 1648, ultimately forging a (controversial in today’s Ukraine) alliance with Moscow that would include Ukraine into the Russian Empire. As Russia was transformed into the Soviet Union, Ukraine became a Soviet Socialist Republic enjoying rapid industrialization, urbanization, literacy, scientific and infrastructure development. The sovietization was darkened by a devastating man-made famine under Stalin’s regime, which took 3 to 7 million lives. While a pact with Nazi Germany right before the war annexed Western Ukraine (historically part of Lithuanian and Polish) to USSR, Germany invaded the USSR via Ukraine in 1941swiftly occupying its major cities. The Reichskommissariat Ukraine treated Ukraine as a resource base through brutal policies, including mass executions, forced labor (millions were sent to Germany to labor camps), and the Holocaust (over 1.5 million Jews were murdered in Ukraine, including 33,000 in just 2 days at Baby Yar). Overall, up to 10 million Ukrainian residents were killed in World War II. After the Yalta Conference, Western Ukraine was subjected to Russification, forced collectivization and nationalist repression, breeding the resentment that can be traced all the way to the Euromaidan Revolution of 2014 and the foundations of today’s Ukrainian nationalism. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 saw Ukraine gain independence, but political and economic instability, corruption, and Russian influence continued to shape its trajectory. The Euromaidan marked a turning point in a shift toward the West but also triggered a conflict with Russia over the Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, historically connected to Russia, and the annexation of Crimea. While the Minsk Agreements (2014-5) seemed to have stalled the military escalation, they weren’t implemented. Russia launched a full-sale invasion in 2022, a brutal grinding war that is still going on, pitting Russia’s expansionism against the Western attempt to defend Ukraine’s independence and its place in political Europe.

Ukraine’s political landscape is shaped by its complex past and ongoing struggle for sovereignty. Since gaining independence in 1991, the country has oscillated between pro-European and pro-Russian leadership, with corruption and oligarchic influence remaining major challenges. While the war, Europe’s biggest since World War II, has brought destruction and hardship, it has also solidified Ukraine’s national identity (the use of Russian has been largely diminished) and its aspiration to join the European Union and NATO.

Ukraine has long been known as the "breadbasket of Europe", thanks to its vast agricultural lands that produce wheat, corn, and sunflower oil. While agriculture remains a major pillar of the economy, Ukraine also has significant industries in steel, energy, and IT, with a growing tech sector centered in Kyiv and Lviv. However, the ongoing war has severely impacted the economy, disrupting trade, infrastructure, and foreign investment. Despite this, Ukraine’s entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, with businesses adapting to wartime conditions and international support providing a vital lifeline. The post-war recovery will be crucial, as Ukraine seeks to rebuild and integrate further with the European economy.

Ukrainians are known for their resilience (bordering on obstinance), hospitality and generosity (especially in smaller towns and rural areas), and strong sense of national identity (especially in the West of the country). While Ukrainian society has historically been bilingual, with Russian widely spoken in the east and Ukrainian dominant in the west, recent years have seen a strong cultural revival, with more people embracing the Ukrainian language and traditions. Despite current hardships, there is an undeniable sense of pride and determination.

Ukrainian culture lies on a firm foundation of ancient folk traditions, music and dance playing a central role in national identity. The bandura, a traditional instrument, produces hauntingly beautiful melodies, while the country’s dance traditions, like the Hopak, are energetic and breathtaking. In literature, Taras Shevchenko remains a national hero, his poetry embodying the spirit of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom.

Ukrainian cuisine is hearty, rich, and deeply comforting. Borscht (my childhood favorite), the iconic beet soup, is a staple in every household, best enjoyed with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of fresh bread. Varenyky (dumplings, and another childhood favorite), filled with potatoes, meat, or cherries, are a favorite comfort food, while holubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls) showcase the country’s love for simple, wholesome ingredients.
Kyiv is home to the famous Chicken Kyiv, a breaded chicken dish filled with garlic butter. In Lviv, coffee culture thrives in atmospheric cafés offering delicious pastries. And of course, no visit to Ukraine is complete without trying horilka, the country’s answer to vodka, often infused with honey or herbs.

My connection to Ukraine is deep and multi-faceted as both of my mother’s and father’s family have roots there. My mom’s ancestors were exiled to Siberia during Stalinist collectivization, while my dad’s parents were evacuated to the Urals as the Nazis were advancing on Kiev (my grandmother was visiting her aunt there as all of her family was annihilated during on the first day of the war as they lived on the Polish border). I have visited both Kyiv and Lviv, the two opposites, the first one Slavic and Eastern with St. Sophia at its heart, and the second one, Western European, with its baroque churches, cobblestone streets and medieval castles in the surrounding countryside.

The Kyiv Metro, one of the deepest in the world, is an attraction in itself, with its Soviet-era grandeur and incredibly cheap fares. Lviv is best explored on foot—wander through Rynok Square, sip coffee in a hidden courtyard café, and take in the views from High Castle Hill. The city has a European feel but with a distinctly Ukrainian soul, making it one of the most atmospheric places in the country.