Andriy Sybiga, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated about the state’s intentions to actively introduce Ukrainian variants of foreign toponyms into official use.
Sybiga shared a recent situation when he received a diplomatic note from a foreign country regarding Ukraine.
“I started reading the text until I reached the word “Kiev”. I didn’t read any more. I ordered: “Return without consideration and no longer accept”. First you need to learn the spelling of the names of Ukrainian cities, and then “renew the assurance of deep respect”, – he noted.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the spelling of the names of Ukrainian cities should correspond to the Ukrainian transliteration — Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Chornobyl. According to the minister, Ukraine has already made significant progress in defending the correct spelling of its geographical names in the international arena. It was joined by key governments, organizations and the world’s leading media.
At the same time, as Sybiga noted, the time has come to take the “next big step” — to return to the Ukrainian language the traditional names of foreign cities, such as Berestia instead of Brest, Bilhorod instead of Belgorod, Dobrochyn instead of Debrecen. The minister reminded that this right is enshrined in the law on the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language.
He also announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to start a professional discussion, open public discussion and coordination between departments in order to systematize the use of Ukrainian names for foreign geographical objects.
“As in the case of correcting the incorrect use of the names of our cities by foreigners, as well as in the case of the transition to Ukrainian names of foreign toponyms, this is primarily about respect. More precisely, our self-respect as a state. Others will respect us only if we respect ourselves.” – summed up Sybiga.
The name “Kiew” comes from the Russian transcription and is common in the German language. However, as early as 2019, the authoritative Duden spelling guide switched from the Russian version to the Ukrainian transliteration.
In 2018, Ukraine initiated the international campaign #KyivNotKiev, after which most of the English-language media switched to the Ukrainian spelling of the capital. And in February 2024, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany announced the official recognition of writing Kyjiw instead of Kiew.
