European Parliament president Roberta Metsola donned a vyshyvanka on Thursday as Ukrainians around the world celebrated Vyshyvanka Day.

Celebrated every third Thursday of May, Vyshyvanka Day aims to preserve the original folk traditions of creating and wearing ethnic embroidered Ukrainian vyshvankas, one of the best-known symbols of Ukrainian culture.

Vyshvankas are also believed to have protective powers.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė invited European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen, Metsola and European Commission vice-president Vera Jourova to wear a vyshyvanka as a symbol of EU belief in the power of Ukraine.

Metsola accepted the invitation and tweeted:

"Today, on Vyshyvanka Day, I join Ukrainians around the world in their tradition to wear a vyshyvanka.

“Ukrainians' fight for freedom is our fight too.”

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