An increasing number of Westerners want to date Russian and Ukrainian women and men, but many of them don’t realize that Western dating culture does not apply in Russia and Ukraine.
Sure, love is a universal thing, and all that, but many “dating rules” that are common in the United States and other Western countries have nothing to do with the dating etiquette in Russia and Ukraine. So what is it like dating a Ukrainian or Russian man or woman?
Russian women are used to chivalry from Russian men. That’s what’s expected from them on first, second, and third dates, and throughout the relationship. Russian men must be gentlemen and romantic to get a girl want to date him.
Flowers and gifts are common attributes of the dating culture in Russia and Ukraine. However, these gifts don’t necessarily need to be expensive to make a Russian or Ukrainian woman feel special.
Russian and Ukrainian men must learn to be gentlemen, polite and have lots of respect for women. So holding doors in front of women, helping them with the coat, offering them their jacket, and carrying heavy things for them are nothing out of extraordinary in Russia and Ukraine.
In these Eastern European countries, a man is expected to pay for the dinner and cover other expenses related to dating. If a Russian or Ukrainian man offers a woman to split the bill, chances are she’ll pay, but she’ll never respond to his phone calls or texts. Also, men in Russia and Ukraine are expected to plan a date in advance on their own.
Flowers are a big deal in Russia and Ukraine, which is why you will see countless flower shops all across these countries. Russian and Ukrainian men are taught from childhood to give women flowers not only for anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and other major events but also for casual, everyday dates.
The NO.1 flower rule to follow when dating in Ukraine or Russia is to give odd numbers of flowers because even numbers are appropriate only for funerals. Red roses are considered the most appropriate type of flower in the Russian and Ukraine dating culture. In fact, even one red rose will suffice.
Generally, Russian and Ukrainian women start preparing for the date a few hours in advance to look their prettiest. Yes, girls in these two countries invest a substantial amount of both money and effort on beauty procedures, makeup, and clothing. Every girl in Ukraine and Russia is taught from childhood to look her best every time she leaves her house.
Women in Russia and Ukraine expect a lot of admiration and compliments in return for looking pretty. Many Russian and Ukrainian men give gifts to women just because they look very beautiful and don’t expect anything in return.
When talking during a date, men are expected to act manly while women are expected to act girly. Meaning: Russian and Ukrainian men usually talk about their education, job, and hobbies, and often demonstrate their status by talking about their car, house, watches, or other elements of wealth. Men are also expected to have excellent communication skills and a good sense of humor to lead the conversation and make a woman laugh.
Women in Russia and Ukraine, on the other hand, mention the things(for example, cooking skills) that are valuable in the eyes of a man . Dates are treated as an opportunity to see whether this person is the right one for a long-term relationship. Often, Russian and Ukrainian women talk about their former relationships during dates as if to show what they are not looking for in their future prospective relationship.
Generally, it is not acceptable for a Russian or Ukrainian woman to spend the night with a stranger after a first, second, or even third date. Casual dating, although rarely occurring in these two countries, are not tolerated by society.
