My relationship with Ukraine has been brief but intense. My first encounter with Ukrainians was at a young age with émigrés, who had made their way westward during the days of the Soviet Union.My contact with their ancient customs—such as their folk dances, traditional costumes, and the painted Easter egg known as “pysanka”—all reinforced my attraction to this cradle of Slavic civilization.
Bordered by Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, and two major seas, Ukraine is the second largest country in Eastern Europe.
Dating back to the 9th-century, Ukraine was a fulcrum of life for the Eastern Slavs, which was known as Kievan Rus’—the largest and most powerful state in Europe.
After many years of foreign domination, Ukraine was incorporated into the Soviet Union as a republic in 1922, gaining independence in 1991.
