On May 29 the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is marked world wide, it was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2002 upon Ukraine's initiative.
Officially this day is marked in Ukraine since 2003. In 2007 Ukraine marks 15 years of participation in UN peace maintaining operations.
There are 560 Ukrainians among 100,000 strong UN peacekeeping army. Ukrainians are taking part in seven UN peacekeeping operations: in Georgia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Liberia, Sudan and Timor-Leste.
In particular, over 300 Ukrainian servicemen are taking part in the UN Mission in Liberia and near 200 officers and civil police personnel are serving in Kosovo.
Ukraine's participation in UN peacekeeping operation gives weighty positive results, including strengthening the authority of the state, creating favorable climate for establishment and facilitation of bilateral economic cooperation with relevant countries and attaining a valuable professional experience by servicemen.
