Publication

President Viktor Yushchenko's decision to award posthumously to Stepan Bandera the highest Ukrainian state distinction has sparked much controversy in Ukraine. Poland should consider lodging a protest that will highlight the potentially damaging impact of this decision on bilateral relations between the two countries. Moreover, steps should be taken to promote better understanding by Ukrainian elites of the Polish historical perspective and to minimize the impact of differences in the interpretation of the common past on day-to-day bilateral relations.