The book contains scientific articles of the modern Ukrainian historian Yuri Tereshchenko, published in various scientific journals during 1996-2010, as well as separate chapters of the monograph "Ukraine and the European world: Essays on the history of the Old Kiev state to the end of the sixteenth century." For the first time, separate articles are published on the problems of formation and traditions of Ukrainian statehood. The author convincingly shows that during its existence the Ukrainian people proved to be an organic component of the European community of peoples who, despite the complexity of relations, shared a common cultural and socio-political heritage. A number of articles argue that Ukrainians have always sought to live an independent state life, despite attempts to impose the idea of their alleged belonging to the so-called. "Non-state" peoples. Much of the work is devoted to the work of Vyacheslav Lypynsky - the founder of the state direction of Ukrainian historiography. The collection is designed for historians, teachers and students of the humanities, as well as a wide range of readers interested in history.