Znaczenie Unii Lubelskiej po 440 latach dla Europy XXI w.

In 1569 a union between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland was proclaimed in Lublin. It lasted for 226 years and was one of the longest lasting unions between European states in the history. It generally was a good example of coexistence of two unified nations. Pope John Paul II once quoted: “From union of Lublin towards European Union”, stressing that the Lublin Union was a kind of first step towards European integration. However, historians and politicians in Lithuania were very critical about the results of Union for the Lithuanian nation. You may observe the same standpoint in Belarus and Ukraine. But now, in new political situation, the opinions about Union are changing and becoming more and more positive.