President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) proposing rescheduling the celebration dates of three important holidays. Officially, the proposed new dates for celebrating Christmas, Ukrainian Statehood Day, and Defender of Ukraine Day are as follows. The document has been posted on the parliament's website, as reported by Gazeta.ua. The President suggests that Christmas be officially celebrated on December 25 (instead of January 7), Ukrainian Statehood Day on July 15 (instead of July 28), and Defender of Ukraine Day on October 1 (instead of October 14).

The explanatory note accompanying the draft law states that the Ukrainian people have been subjected to Russian ideology in almost all spheres of life for a long time, including adherence to the Julian calendar and the celebration of Christmas on January 7. "Christmas is a major Christian holiday that is an integral part of our Ukrainian culture. The majority of Orthodox Christians worldwide celebrate Christmas on December 25. On May 24, 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine approved a complete transition from September 1, 2023, to the new calendar – the New Julian Calendar, which is followed by the majority of Orthodox churches worldwide and which specifically includes the celebration of Christmas on December 25, not January 7," the explanatory note states

It should also be noted that the purpose of the draft law is to abandon the Russian heritage. Currently, the draft law has been sent for consideration to the profile Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on Social Policy and Veterans' Rights. (Quelle: www.risu.ua, 28. Juni 2023)