Vladimir Putin sent congratulatory messages to the leaders and citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldavia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Abkhazia, South Ossetia as well as the peoples of Georgia and Ukraine, on the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
The President of Russia underscored the sacred reverence felt in our countries for the memory of the heroes whose courage at the front and selfless labour in the rear helped secure the Victory over Nazism – our great shared heritage. “It is the sacred duty of today’s generations to preserve forever the memory of those who defended the freedom of their native land at the cost of innumerable sacrifices and hardships, and to surround our dear veterans with care and attention,” noted Vladimir Putin.
The Russian President again called for resolute opposition to any attempts to rewrite the results of the Great Patriotic War, to whitewash or consign to oblivion the inhuman crimes committed by the Nazis and their accomplices.
Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that the shared memory of the heroic deeds of our fathers and grandfathers would have a constructive impact on bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas and on partnering to confront modern threats and challenges like the coronavirus pandemic.
Vladimir Putin offered words of sincere gratitude and wishes of good health, long life, happiness and wellbeing to all veterans of the Great Patriotic War, partisans and homefront workers.
The President of Russia also sent greetings to the leaders and people of Great Britain, the United States of America and France.
In his message to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Boris Johnson, the Russian leader noted, in part: “The Great Victory was a pivotal event of the 20th century with enduring significance for the fate of all humankind. It was achieved thanks to the joint efforts of the Soviet Union and the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. That invaluable experience is no less needed today.” Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that the memory of our nations’ brotherhood-in-arms would help develop constructive Russian-British dialogue and cooperation in the face of current threats and challenges .
In his message to President of the United States of America Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin stressed that people in Russia remember with gratitude the contribution of the anti-Hitler coalition allies to our common Victory and will never forget about the Soviet-American wartime comradeship.
The President of Russia added: “The decades since WWII have brought new threats – from terrorism and regional conflicts to large-scale natural disasters, man-made catastrophes and epidemics. Russia and the United States are now at the forefront of the response to global challenges. Following the traditions of cooperation established in war time and acting in the ‘spirit of the Elbe’, our countries could do a great deal for the sake of international security and stability.”
In his message to President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, Vladimir Putin said in part: “The heroism of the Normandy-Neman Flight Regiment pilots, who fought at the Soviet-German front, will be forever in the hearts of Russians. Thousands of Soviet patriots who joined the French Resistance also made a considerable contribution to Victory.” The Russian leader underscored the need for Russian-French cooperation now given the difficult international climate.