▁culture ▁on ▁Soviet ▁Ukraine . ▁ ▁As ▁most ▁Pol es ▁from ▁the ▁Polish ▁areas ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁were ▁transport ed ▁to ▁Poland ▁( prim arily ▁Reg ained ▁Territ ories ), ▁there ▁were ▁actually ▁relatively ▁few ▁Pol es ▁left ▁on ▁the ▁former ▁sout he astern ▁territ ories ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Polish ▁Republic ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁Pol es ▁in ▁Ukraine ▁assim il ated ▁into ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁culture . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁ 6 9 % ▁spoke ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁language , ▁ 1 9 ▁percent ▁spoke ▁Polish ▁and ▁ 1 2 ▁percent ▁spoke ▁Russian . ▁ ▁Pol es ▁in ▁contemporary ▁Ukraine ▁ ▁The ▁situation ▁of ▁Polish ▁minor ity ▁has ▁improved ▁when ▁Ukraine ▁reg ained ▁independence , ▁the ▁policy ▁of ▁Soviet ization ▁ended ▁and ▁various ▁Polish ▁non - g overn ment al ▁organizations ▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁operate . ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁Poland ▁and ▁Ukraine ▁agreed ▁to ▁the ▁" Dec laration ▁on ▁the ▁found ations ▁and ▁general ▁directions ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁Polish – U k rain ian ▁relations ". ▁ ▁Article ▁ 3 ▁of ▁this ▁declaration ▁said ▁that ▁neither ▁country ▁has ▁any ▁territorial ▁claims ▁against ▁the ▁other , ▁and ▁will ▁not ▁bring ▁any ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁ ▁Both ▁countries ▁promised ▁to ▁respect ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁national ▁minor ities ▁in ▁the ▁land ▁and ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁situation ▁of ▁minor ities ▁in ▁their ▁countries . ▁ ▁This ▁declaration ▁re - aff ir