Replies

Russia split Ukraine from Poland by appealing to Orthodox Christian unity. The Ukrainians have regretted that ever since.

Got some proof of that other than your posting it?

Got some proof of that other than your posting it?

Ruthenian Cossacks pledged their loyalty to Russia with the Pereiaslav Agreement in 1654 following the Khmelnytski rebellion against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Russian and Soviet historians considered this to be the reunification of Russia and Ukraine. Bohdan Khmelnytski soon became disillusioned with Russian rule. Poland tried to woo the Cossacks back with the Treaty of Hadiach with was ratified by the Polish Sejm, rejected by the Cossacks. According to historian Timothy Snyder the Cossaks rejected the treaty with Poland because they rejected the pledge to respect the Commonwealth's freedom of religion. According to Snyder, the Cossacks later regretted their decision, but it was too late.

Symon Petliura, a Ukrainian nationalist, fought with the Poles against the Soviets in the 1920-21 Polish-Russian War. At the peace talks in Riga, Lenin offered Poland all of Belarus and all of Ukraine west of the Dnieper, but this was rejected by Poland due to Western pressure. (By treaty, Poland's new borders needed the approval of its WWI allies.) As result, millions of Ukrainians died of starvation when the Soviets stole their harvests. Other historians note that Ukrainian peasants in the interwar period had marched to the border demanding that Poland invade and save them from Stalin, which is why he was more threatened by Poland than Germany.

The record is clear for anyone who wants to see it, but those still following Soviet historiography don't want to believe it. Polish President Duda as suggested that the eventual peace treaty with Russia should be signed at Pereiaslav, symbolizing Ukraine's rejection of another reunion with Russia.