Contemporary Relations Between Poland And Ukraine

The book analyses contemporary relations between Poland and Ukraine. It discusses the history and determinants of their bilateral relations, presents political, economic, social and military relations between the two countries and focuses on some specific issues, such as historical memory, the Polish-Ukrainian border and relations with the EU.

Bringing together the work of sociologists, historians, and political scientists, this book explores the increasing importance of the politics of memory in central and eastern European states since the end of communism, with a particular focus on relations between Ukraine and Poland. Through studies of the representation of the past and the creation of memory in education, mass media, and on a local level, it examines the responses of Polish and Ukrainian authorities and public institutions to questions surrounding historical issues between the two nations. At a time of growing renationalization in domestic politics in the region, brought about by challenges connected with migration and fear of Russian military activity, this volume asks whether international cooperation and the stability of democracy are under threat. An exploration of the changes in national historical culture, The Politics of Memory in Poland and Ukraine will appeal to scholars with interests in memory studies, national identity, and the implications of memory-making for contemporary relations between states.

Exploration of the historical legacy, cultural relations, economic ties, and communications between Poland and Ukraine.

This book outlines the traditionally difficult relations between Poland and Ukraine and assesses the changes in the last decade, which have resulted in very constructive bilateral relations between the two states. The authors argue that the strengthening of bilateral ties bodes well for stability in Europe, and is a welcome development in the context of the integration process currently proceeding apace across the continent. Ironically, the very process of integration is having less than benign effects on Warsaw's relations with Kiev. Despite the best intentions of political elites in both countries, the conditions the EU requires of Poland will inevitably have a deleterious impact on relations with Ukraine, particularly in terms of cross-border trade and free movement of people, which is not desired by all Polish regions. The book thus explores how Warsaw and Kiev are attempting to balance EU and regional demands.

Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine have brought scholarly and public attention to Ukraine’s borders. Making Ukraine aims to investigate the various processes of negotiation, delineation, and contestation that have shaped the country’s borders throughout the past century. Essays by contributors from various historical fields consider how, when, and under what conditions the borders that historically define the country were agreed upon. A diverse set of national and transnational contexts are explored, with a primary focus on the critical period between 1917 and 1954. Chapters are organized around three main themes: the interstate treaties that brought about the new international order in Eastern Europe in the aftermath of the world wars, the formation of the internal boundaries between Ukraine and other Soviet republics, and the delineation of Ukraine’s borders with its western neighbours. Investigating the process of bordering Ukraine in the post-Soviet era, contributors also pay close attention to the competing visions of future relations between Ukraine and Russia. Through its broad geographic and thematic coverage, Making Ukraine illustrates that the dynamics of contemporary border formation cannot be fully understood through the lens of a sole state, frontier, or ideology and sheds light on the shared history of territory and state formation in Europe and the wider modern world.

Yet he begins with the principles of toleration that prevailed in much of early modern eastern Europe and concludes with the peaceful resolution of national tensions in the region since 1989.".