door to europe

Ukraine, on the fault line of civilizations on the western edge of the Eurasian steppe, was born at the meeting of East and West and has been the gateway to Europe for many centuries. When wars and conflicts come, the closed gate of Europe becomes a barrier against invaders from the east or west, and when the gate of Europe opens, Ukraine becomes a hub connecting Europe and Asia, East and West.

Since the time of Herodotus, the land of Ukraine has witnessed the ups and downs of the empire for two thousand years, and has experienced many changes in the world order. Settled and nomadic, Orthodox and Catholic... Different civilizations come into contact here, shaping Ukraine's unique border identity. It is the bread basket of Europe, and it was once a battlefield for killing. From the Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire, from the Habsburgs to the Romanovs, and even Hitler's Third Reich, each empire claimed the land and wealth of Ukraine, leaving its mark on the land.

To this day, Ukraine remains a focal point of conflict between East and West. The current turmoil roiling the world cannot be seen clearly without understanding the complex forces that have shaped Eastern Europe for two millennia. With a sympathetic understanding, Ploki, the dean of the Ukrainian Institute at Harvard University, wrote about the two thousand years experienced and witnessed by the Gate of Europe, filling in the missing piece of the puzzle for understanding the past, present and future of the East and the West.