Ukrainian Peacekeeper Day

On July 15, Ukraine celebrates Ukrainian Peacekeepers Day – a holiday for war veterans, their family members, and all caring Ukrainians.

The holiday is relatively young; however, it is dedicated to those people who, risking their lives and health, have spent many years establishing peace and stability in some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones – Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Macedonia, Guatemala, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Croatia, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Transnistria, Iraq, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Georgia, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as in the countries of the Near and Middle East and other regions of the world.

During the years of Ukraine’s independence, more than 45,000 Ukrainian service members have participated in international peacekeeping operations in various regions of the globe. Since gaining independence, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have taken part in peacekeeping missions under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), NATO, and other international organizations.

We thank our peacekeepers for their strength and courage, their commitment to universal human ideals, and their fearless efforts to save the lives of civilians.

Despite the war, Ukraine continues to help other countries around the world. Therefore, we hope that Ukraine, too, will not be left alone in the face of its enemy. As Ukrainian and international leaders have repeatedly stated, Ukraine is defending not only its own territory but also the values of the entire democratic world!