By 11 November 2022, the Institute for the Study of War calculated that Ukrainian forces had liberated an area of 74,443 km² (28,743 sq mi) from Russian occupation, leaving Russia with control of about 18% of Ukraine's territory.

The name of Ukraine is frequently interpreted as coming from the old Slavic term for 'borderland' as is the word krajina. Another interpretation is that the name of Ukraine means "region" or "country."

The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian, a Slavic language, which is spoken regularly by 88% of Ukraine's population at home in their personal life, and as high as 87% at work or study. It is followed by Russian which is spoken by 34% in their personal life.

Ukraine has long played an important, yet sometimes overlooked, role in the global security order. Today, the country is on the front lines of a renewed great-power rivalry that many analysts say will dominate international relations in the decades ahead.