he vik ▁threat ▁but ▁Germany ' s ▁policy ▁of ▁creating ▁several ▁smaller ▁client ▁states ▁east ▁of ▁Poland , ▁supported ▁especially ▁by ▁the ▁supre me ▁command ▁under ▁Lud endor ff , ▁also ▁height ened ▁resistance ▁to ▁German ▁presence ▁in ▁Polish ▁territ ories . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁military , ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Lith u ania ▁proc laimed ▁an ▁independent ▁Lith uan ian ▁state ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁December . ▁Polish ▁sentiment ▁react ed ▁strongly , ▁as ▁it ▁considered ▁Poland ▁and ▁Lith u ania ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁historical ▁union ▁and ▁especially ▁since ▁it ▁regarded ▁Wil no ▁( V il nius ), ▁the ▁proposed ▁new ▁Lith uan ian ▁capital , ▁as ▁a ▁Polish ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁Reg ency ▁Council ▁sought ▁ad mission ▁to ▁the ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁government ▁during ▁travel s ▁to ▁Berlin ▁and ▁Vienna ▁early ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁but ▁only ▁gained ▁German ▁Chan cell or ▁Georg ▁von ▁H ert ling ' s ▁promise ▁to ▁admit ▁the ▁Polish ▁government ▁in ▁an ▁advis ory ▁capacity . ▁This , ▁however , ▁was ▁refused ▁by ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁represent atives , ▁who ▁denied ▁the ▁Polish ▁government ▁any ▁legit im acy . ▁The ▁German ▁representative ▁Max ▁Hoff mann ▁expressed ▁a ▁belief ▁that ▁" in dependent ▁Poland ▁was ▁always ▁considered ▁by ▁me ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁u top ia , ▁and ▁I ▁have ▁no ▁doub ts ▁regarding ▁my ▁support ▁for ▁Ukrain ian ▁claims ." ▁When ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Br est - L it ov sk , ▁signed