The paper deals with contemporary state of the Russian-Ukrainian relations, as looked upon from the perspective of political culture theory. The Ukrainian-Russian relations after the end of communism are at once products and manifestations of both countries’ political cultures and national identities. Once transplanted into the international arena, the Ukrainian-Russian relations acquired a new form of existence, precipitating profound changes in the culture of two peoples’ communication. The benchmarks of the culture change here are shifts from the imperial and centerperiphery modes of communication to the model of more or less genuine international dialogue. As situation of a dialogue asserts equality of the parties, Russia has to accept Ukraine as an independent international player in its own right. Ukraine, on the other hand, has to raise up to its new status through diversification of the country’s external contacts and activities. A full-fledged partnership between Ukraine and Russia may well be the only way to facilitate tolerance, liberalism, and democratization in the area. This partnership should be based on the international law and uphold the Ukrainian sovereignty as that of a denuclearized and non-aligned state.