Leaders | Inspiration nation

Our country of the year for 2022 can only be Ukraine

For the heroism of its people, and for standing up to a bully

In normal times, picking The Economist’s country of the year is hard. Our writers and editors usually begin with a freewheeling debate in which they spar over the rival claims of half a dozen shortlisted nations. But this year, for the first time since we started naming countries of the year in 2013, the choice is obvious. It can only be Ukraine.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “It has to be Ukraine”

From the December 24th 2022 edition

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