World Affairs Journal: The Ukrainian diaspora and Ukraine
Boy, the Ukrainian diaspora must’ve really gotten under Viktor Yanukovych’s skin. It all began about a year ago, when Ukraine’s president wrote an open letter offering to meet with a Ukrainian-American umbrella organization. Since he was obviously grandstanding—how else can you explain the open letter?—they turned him down. Rumor has it that Yanukovych felt dissed, but he should’ve known better than to extend a very public peace offering to a diaspora that hates his authoritarian, anti-Ukrainian, and anti-democratic policies. A serious offer would have been made in private.