The minimum wage in Poland is six times higher than in Ukraine, despite both countries starting from the same point, says Alexey Golobutsky.

The minimum wage in Poland has now become almost six times higher than the minimum wage in Ukraine ($1132 compared to $190).

This is not merely a fortunate coincidence – it is the result of over 30 years of consistent actions by the Polish government. Our starting points were similar (though, in reality, it was much tougher in Poland at the beginning of the 1990s).

Here we see the fruits of their labor: when a nation has a unifying idea, when there is an elite that understood from the outset that they were heading towards Europe and NATO. When a country does not have decades-long disputes regarding language, culture, identity, historical interpretations, and civilizational belonging… This is certainly not the entirety of the foundation for their achievements, but it is a crucial component.

Regrettably, the contrasting examples of Poland and ourselves allow for a stark comparison of the outcomes each path leads to. As our enthusiasts of simple solutions often say, "Diversity of cultures and religions, free choice of languages, preservation of ideological heritage from the past – this is also our history, a neutral status, a balance of friendship with both Europe and Russia"…

Yet, in the end, it is precisely us that Russia decides to attack, believing it can do so "in three days." And our lives are significantly worse as a result. However, there is no ideological pressure or imperative direction for development.