Maidan

Hi Victor, I'm pleased you joined in on the English discussion. As a frequent visitor to Ukraine in recent years, I know there's been an effort to ensure that the Ukrainian language is taught in schools and that a national identity is being formed as a result. I've even been told by Russian speakers that the Ukrainian language sounds nicer than their own.

I'm reminded of a conversation with an old man in Prague last year who told me how he'd hated the Russian language and culture forced upon him as a young man.

The trouble is there are many Russian speakers who see this as something to be wary of, a country in which they are excluded, perhaps persecuted.

In contrast, my own country moves the other way and as much as English is an international language, our schools and civic institutions have to take account that in some areas they'll be dealing with up to 40 languages. We've even been handing out funds to ensure that our own regional dialects are preserved.

In a Ukrainian railway station, a friend describes to me how he must pay for timetable information, a separate window for Russian enquiries. Clearly some see a profit in two languages.

One thing that has to be faced is that Russian is understood and spoken across a vast area in Europe and Asia and even where is isn't there are software translators that will help. Ukrainian has nothing like this accessibility. In your history Russia has much to answer for but stamping out all trace of an international language can only confine Ukrainians of the future to a smaller world.

If Ukraine isn't inclusive about language, there's more reason for division, and more fuel for those whose own interests are satisfied by calling it Fascism. Ukraine cannot afford to be a divided country and you must be on guard against those who would have it this way to promote their own interests.

Best wishes,

Jeff