Quote Originally Posted by Hanna View Post
Both these languages are just very confusing for anyone trying to learn Russian.
Different but with many similiarities. Russian is hard enough without this extra complication, I think!

The whole point of learning Russian, is that it is such a big language, and gives you access to so many different countries - so why distract yourself with Ukrainian or Belarussian when everyone in those countries speak Russian already?

Unless you are interested in the languages for a linguistic or cultural or family reasons of course, that would be a different story.
ok for Belarusians, but can all Ukranians speak Russian? really?! Are you sure of this?