Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the nation on the Day of Unity of Ukraine with a speech recorded on St. Sophia Square in Kyiv, where the 1919 Act of Unification of Right-Bank and Left-Bank Ukraine was proclaimed.
Reflecting on Ukraine’s history, Zelenskyy spoke about the challenges of preserving independence: “Ambitions, discord, and both external and internal enemies did not allow independent Ukraine to exist for long. Our statehood and freedom were lost for decades,” he said, highlighting the significance of self-determination and unity.
The President recalled the annual tradition of forming human chains to commemorate the Act of Unification and noted how Ukrainians had proven their solidarity since the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February. “We united — not declaratively or on paper — but by a call from within,” he emphasised.
Zelenskyy praised the resilience and determination of Ukrainians, stating, “The strength of Ukrainians lies in the word ‘together.’ This is what we are capable of when we prioritise Ukraine’s interests over personal ambitions.”
He also recounted the early days of the invasion, when weapons were scarce, yet volunteers stepped forward to defend their homeland. “This is what unity is — defending our land with all our might,” the President said, urging Ukrainians to stay strong and believe in themselves and their country.
- The Day of Unity, a public holiday celebrated annually on 22 January, commemorates the 1919 unification of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic. First celebrated in 1999, it briefly carried the name “Day of Unity and Freedom” under Viktor Yanukovych’s presidency but was restored to “Unity Day” by Petro Poroshenko in 2014.