Our dear Olympians!

I heartily congratulate You on returning back in Motherland and on a magnificent, supersuccessful performance at the Olympic Games in Beijing! It seems firstly for all the years of independence that Ukrainian team has gathered such a harvest of awards, even in those kinds of sports we hadn’t been supposed to win.

A real feat of a women combined team in fencing, sport heroism and technique of Hanna Bezsonova, perfect victory of Vasyl Lomachenko and Inna Osypenko-Radomska, all your success is our country badly needs today. I am grateful to you for you have demonstrated to the whole world – Ukraine is a mighty state.

Our gold, silver, bronze winners… You are all gold for us, you are the best. You are making for the sake of strengthening of Ukraine in the world more than all the politicians together.

I am well aware that sport in Ukraine is far from perfect. I realize well that some your victories have happened in the teeth of but not owing to the state support. It is the present situation of today but I promise I will make every effort to make Ukrainian sport, Ukrainian victories as famous all over the world as the taste of Ukrainian cuisine or beauty of Ukrainian women.

In Ancient Greece at the time of holding the Olympics all the wars had ceased. I wish your success to inspire Ukrainian politicians, all the society on reconciliation and terminating of conflicts.

I congratulate you once again, my dear! The Country is proud of you! You are the best! We love you!

Yours faithfully,
Prime Minister of Ukraine
Yulia Tymoshenko