The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the victory over Nazism. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a speech to the guests at yesterday's gala lunch, which he gave on his behalf for the state leaders who arrived for the Victory Day celebrations, TASS reported, quoted by BTA.
„The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the defeat of Nazism. This is a historical truth that no one can either conceal, distort or take away,“ said Putin.
“I warmly welcome you and thank our reliable friends and partners. You have arrived in Moscow to share with us the joy of the celebration of the victory over Nazism, to honor the memory of the heroes who saved humanity,“ the Russian leader pointed out and added: “May 9 is a sacred date for our multinational people“.
“Today, when we are witnessing the establishment of a more just world order, the relevance and importance of the UN are growing again. It is important to continue to strengthen its central coordinating role in world affairs, to ensure strict compliance with the basic norms and principles of international law established in its charter in all their completeness, totality and interrelationship,“ Putin noted.
“The joint efforts of the peoples of Europe, the United States, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific region, the solidarity, will and courage of the soldiers and officers of the anti-Hitler coalition, resistance fighters, participants in national liberation movements, partisans and illegals led us to victory,“ the Russian leader noted.
“We support justice and equality, the affirmation of the high ideals of friendship and good neighborliness, understanding and mutual respect, taking into account the opinions and interests of everyone, equal and indivisible security for all,“ Putin said and added: “We call on the entire international community to solidarity in solving the current problems of our time, to a common responsibility for future generations. I am convinced that only such approaches will allow us to guarantee long-term peace, prosperity and equality of opportunities for all peoples of the Earth. Russia is ready for such creative joint work“.
The United States is beginning to understand Russia's positions on key issues, including the conflict in Ukraine, said a senior Kremlin adviser, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
“It is clear, at least it seems to me, that there is an understanding of what we are trying to achieve“, said diplomat Yuri Ushakov, a former ambassador to Washington, on state television.
“To some extent, our demands, our thinking, our proposals are being taken into account. Not all of them. But the process is underway, he added.
Ushakov said he had seen a move towards improving relations between Washington and Moscow after the breakdown caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
President Donald Trump has softened the positions of the previous administration of President Joe Biden towards Russia, particularly on the conflict in Ukraine.
Some comments by US officials, including Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, have sometimes appeared to reflect the Kremlin's version, Reuters noted. Russia remains in the position that Ukraine must fully cede four of its southeastern regions, which Moscow's forces have partially occupied.
Moscow also says it wants to resolve what it calls the root causes of the conflict, including getting Ukraine to refuse to join NATO, as well as the “denazification” to the authorities in Kiev.
There is speculation on both sides that Trump could meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, although a date has not yet been set.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov this week described a meeting between the two presidents as “certainly necessary“, but added that it “must be prepared accordingly“.
Ushakov acknowledged that each side was probably not entirely satisfied with what the other was saying. “Yes, we probably disappointed them with one thing or another. They disappointed us too. Maybe more than we disappointed them,“ the Kremlin adviser concluded.