Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 1996, two Ukrainian naval vessels – the Hetman Sahaidachny (a frigate) and the Kostiantyn Olshansky (a landing ship) – arrived at the U.S. Naval Base in Norfolk, Va., making it the first time that Ukrainian naval vessels (representing an independent Ukraine, flying Ukraine’s blue-and-yellow banner) visited a U.S. port. The weeklong visit included joint naval landing exercises, shore excursions for the sailors, a weekend open house for American visitors and an evening concert by the military band aboard the Sahaidachny.