Out of curiosity, why do you say “the Ukraine” instead of “Ukraine”?
I grew up hearing that and saying it also, but never really knowing why.
There is a small sub-set of countries which, for obscure historical reasons, use the definite article in their English-language name: The Lebanon, the Sudan, the Netherlands, and the Ukraine.
I, too, grew up using the definite article when speaking about Ukraine. I am now trying to wean myself off using it, since (apparently) at least some Ukrainians find it slightly derogatory.
(There are no definite articles in the Ukrainian language, so their own name for their own country in their own language does not have the article.)
You'll find all kinds of curious demonyms used in various different languages for other peoples: "Haoli" is Hawaiian for "without breath," but was used to describe Europeans (b/c Europeans kept their distances, did not hug - thus creating the impression that they had no breath). "Nemtsi" (literally: "mutes") is the Russian word for Germans, since they apparently couldn't speak at all. Etc.
Does that answer your question?
Regards,
Convention is Ukraine, no “the” before it.
I do not know the reason for sure.
However, if I had to guess, it is because that is how Ukrainians and Russians would do it. They don’t use articles as in English in their language. If you ever edit anything written by a less than fully English literate person from there, expect to add and fix articles.
I simply made that error because I was in a hurry.