Date
2/26/2024 5:31:07 AM
(MENAFN) In a recent move, German authorities have decided to adopt a new spelling for Ukraine's capital, Kiev, as requested by the Ukrainian government. The traditional German spelling, 'Kiew,' will now be replaced with 'Kyjiw,' according to statements from the German Foreign Ministry shared on the X platform. This change has been officially registered for government use, outlining guidelines for official documents, and will be gradually implemented.
While the official statements did not provide detailed reasons for the spelling change, it emphasized that the updated variant had been a common practice for many entities. This decision follows a similar move by the Japanese Defense Ministry in March 2022, about a month into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The Japanese decision was based on a review of major media coverage.
The campaign for the spelling change initiated by Ukrainian authorities dates back to at least 2018, with the aim of adopting 'Kyiv' in place of 'Kiev.' The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) embraced a similar change in June 2019, adopting 'Kyiv' for official use. The Associated Press (AP) news agency also adjusted its spelling two months later. However, Russia's Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre, and Cartography (Rosreestr) maintained its stance, asserting that 'Kiev' remains the correct spelling under Russian law. The agency noted a lack of cooperation from Ukrainian authorities since 2016.
This spelling adjustment by Germany reflects a broader trend of geopolitical shifts and diplomatic considerations in acknowledging the preferences of the Ukrainian government. It adds to the ongoing discussions surrounding linguistic nuances in international relations and underscores the complexities of maintaining uniformity in geographic nomenclature across different countries.
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