On 9 May 2005, the Commonwealth of Independent States member nations commemorate the 60th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941 – 1945. This war against the terrible evil of mankind – fascism – was unprecedented in its scale and ferocity. It demanded an enormous exertion of force and will from all the peoples of the Soviet Union.
Addressing the peoples of the CIS and the international community on the occasion of this date, we are proud that the peoples of our nations made a decisive contribution to achieving Victory and saving the peoples not just of Europe, but of the entire world from fascist enslavement. It is they who bore the greatest human and material losses in the war. Millions of people gave their lives for the sake of achieving this Victory.
We all have an irredeemable debt before those who died in the just and sacred war for the freedom and independence of our Homeland, who travelled the heavy roads of war and destroyed fascism. Our sacred responsibility is to honour their achievements and continue working on perpetuating the memory of the fallen, and caring for the places of their eternal rest.
Today we honour those who achieved a Great Victory and lived to see this glorious anniversary, and we call for the generation who took part in the war to be properly cared after.
The decisive factors in the Victory over fascism were the deep understanding by peoples of the real threat to the freedom and independence of each of them and of their common homeland – the Soviet Union, brotherly friendship of peoples, the organisational role of the supreme military and political leadership of the country, the heroism and courage of soldiers, partisans and members of the underground, and the selflessness of workers on the home front. This is our Great Victory
Countries of the anti-Hitler coalition also made their contribution to destroying fascism, and their peoples also bore serious losses. We expect that countries that took part in this war will continue to preserve and care for military memorials, graves of Soviet soldiers and soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition, members of the Resistance movement and the graves of victims of fascism.
Member nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States work actively to increase security and stability, and take effective measures in opposing new global challenges and threats. We are certain that the further development of mankind on the path of civilisation must not be impeded by disasters and victims of new wars.
Confirming our adherence to the founding principles and norms of the UN Charter, we are in favour of a peaceful resolution to conflicts that arise in the world, of affirming the spirit of trust and mutual understanding between nations and peoples, and of keeping the key role of the UN in supporting international security and of solving important international problems, including the struggle against any attempts to revive and spread fascism.
We confirm that the Commonwealth of Independent States will continue to increase cooperation with the entire international community for the sake of maintaining a just world and the prosperity of peoples, and we call on the international community to a unity of actions to achieve these noble goals.