Ukraine unveils state font Zakon for official documents

The national font Zakon has been officially presented in Ukraine. This typeface is planned for use in formatting state documentation to give it a recognisable style and to gradually phase out fonts of Russian origin. The development process took into account the traditions of Ukrainian literature and graphic arts.

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine announced the presentation. The event took place within the framework of the "Ukrainian — The Language of the Free" forum, which was dedicated to Ukrainian Written Language and Language Day. The initiator of the creation of the national font was the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk. The Ministry of Culture implemented the project with the support of the company Work.ua.

The symbolic significance of the national font

Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasised that state independence is manifested not only in legislative acts but also in everyday life. In his view, it is important in which language state bodies operate, court decisions are made, and orders are issued. Stefanchuk is convinced that even the formatting of the word "Ukraine" on an official document has symbolic significance.

The need to create a proprietary font is enshrined in Resolution No. 4764-IX of the Verkhovna Rada dated January 2026, "On Strengthening the Role of the Ukrainian Language in the Establishment of the Ukrainian State". The Minister of Culture, Tetiana Berezhna, noted that the new development will allow state institutions to combine elements of national artistic heritage with modern design in their visual communication.

Currently, fonts of Russian origin, specifically Izhitsa and Petersburg, are still used for formatting state awards, diplomas, certificates, letters of appreciation, and plaques. Typefaces whose Cyrillic versions were created by the Russian studio ParaType are also in use. This is why there was a need to replace them with a national product.

Artistic sources and design solutions

The basic foundation for Zakon was a classic serif — a typeface style with small projecting features. Designers adapted this style to the modern needs of official documentation, preserving the characteristic features of the Ukrainian graphic tradition. The developers turned to the creative legacy of six Ukrainian artists: Hryhorii Narbut, Vasyl Krychevsky, Yakiv Hnizdovsky, Robert Lisovsky, Vasyl Khomenko, and Vasyl Chebanik.

Each of these artists made a significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian graphic arts:

• Hryhorii Narbut created the first Ukrainian banknotes, designed the coat of arms of the Ukrainian State during the time of Pavlo Skoropadsky, and participated in the founding of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts.
• Vasyl Krychevsky is the author of the coat of arms of the Ukrainian People's Republic.
• Robert Lisovsky is known for his works in the field of book graphics.
• Yakiv Hnizdovsky, while abroad, worked on combining Ukrainian script with Western European typographic traditions.
• Vasyl Khomenko developed a Ukrainian typeface that was used almost until the end of the Soviet era.
• Contemporary calligrapher Vasyl Chebanik created the design for the ceremonial copy of the Constitution of Ukraine.

The new font features asymmetric serifs and unusual graphic details. For example, the dots over the letters "і" and "ї" are diamond-shaped, and the sign over the letter "й" is executed taking into account the artistic techniques of Hryhorii Narbut. At the same time, the general proportions of the symbols correspond to the European tradition of the classic serif.

The development team

The team that created the font included Oleksii Chekal, Hennadii Zarechniuk, Dmytro Rastvorov, and Andriy Shevchenko. The project was led by serviceman Taras Ishchik, who is also the author of the graphic style of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Typeface varieties and areas of application

The national font is presented in three typefaces, each with a specific purpose:

• Zakon Text — created for the daily work of state institutions. This typeface can be used when preparing official correspondence, orders, and other official texts. It is freely available.
• Zakon Decor — intended for ceremonial documents, state distinctions, and decorative inscriptions.
• Zakon Letterpress — developed for printing the originals of normative legal acts of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Unlike Zakon Text, the Zakon Decor and Zakon Letterpress typefaces have a closed licence, so only a defined circle of individuals will be able to use them. In addition, four variants of the letterform are provided: standard, italic, semi-bold, and semi-bold italic.

Implementation plan

The implementation of the Zakon font will proceed in stages. There are no plans to replace all existing letterheads, plaques, and other materials simultaneously, in order to avoid additional financial costs. The Ministry of Culture is to transfer the font to state institutions along with recommendations for its installation.

First, the Zakon Text typeface will be tested in ordinary document circulation. It will be used to create letters, orders, letterheads, and other documentation. After testing, the developers will collect user feedback to make improvements if necessary. In addition, the Ministry of Culture is considering the possibility of using Zakon during the official publication of normative legal acts.