1/n If anyone is wondering what is happening between #Poles and #Ukrainians, let me immerse you in the context of Ukrainian-Polish relations.

This will be a long, long, very long post. I even paid that damn Musк to make my posts longer and more comfortable to read :)

Hardly anyone living outside these countries understands the complexities of the relationship that these two nations have gone through. Perhaps many Poles do not either, because they have never tried to look at our shared history from the Ukrainian perspective…

So, in a galaxy far, far away, back in the tenth century… Okay, Polish-Ukrainian relations indeed began as early as the 10th century (when, strictly speaking, no modern Ukrainians or Poles existed yet), but do not worry – we will not go that deep, because the truly crucial events begin in 1569. 2/n But first, a little backstory to the history. In the 13th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) emerged around Lithuanian tribes. In the 14th century, it expanded rapidly, annexing a significant part of the modern lands of Ukraine, Belarus, and western Russia. The Lithuanians formed the ruling core, while the majority of the population consisted of Ruthenians (the ancestors of modern Ukrainians and Belarusians). Initially, the Lithuanians were pagans, but after the baptism of Lithuania in 1387, the elite became Catholic. The majority of the Ruthenian population remained Orthodox. The official chancery language of the GDL was Ruthenian.

In general, the duchy was quite diverse, tolerant, and characterized by a calm internal state compared to neighboring countries. However, the borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were a source of unrest. On one side lay the Teutonic Order, and on the other, the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

And while the combined efforts of the GDL and Poland managed to undermine the Teutonic Order, things were much more difficult with Moscow. In the 16th century, the Tsardom of Moscow significantly surpassed the GDL in population, mobilization potential, and centralisation of power, which became clearly evident during the exhausting Livonian War.

Russians like to ask Ukrainians what achievements our country has made. Ok,🇺🇦is poor, but I can list many of its achievements.

But let's put it aside for now and look at it from a different angle. How has🇷🇺influenced Ukraine? Look at the chart.

Let me explain what it means.👇 1992-1994 were marked by the collapse of USSR. The political system was being restructured, laws were changing, transition to market economy was beginning. People had no time for geopolitics—everyone was trying to survive.

That is why I refer to this period as "chaotic."👇

I am tired of that narrative “Russia attacked Ukraine because it was going to join NATO”.

Let me share a long 🧵 of facts which proves it is wrong. You are welcomed to deny the facts in comments.
🔽 1. “NATO promise not to spread to the East.”

No, there was no such a promise. The document which Russians like to mention here is not an agreement of any kind. It is literally just a conversation. And Baker said that it can be discussed. Nothing more happened.