The following statement was released by the Ukrainian World Congress on April 28.
The Ukrainian World Congress is deeply dismayed with the April 25 joint statement by President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the meeting on the Elbe between U.S. and Soviet troops at the end of World War II.
“There can be no ‘putting aside differences, building trust or cooperation in pursuit of a greater cause’ until Russia ends it ongoing war against Ukraine and de-occupies Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula,” stated UWC President Paul Grod. “Thousands of innocent Ukrainian men and women have died and tens of thousands wounded as a result of Russia’s ongoing war in eastern Ukraine. Russia continues to camouflage its current imperial ambitions and whitewash the millions of victims of the Soviet legacy.”
The “Elbe handshake” at the end of World War II did not mean liberation for Eastern Europe. Instead, it meant more than four decades of occupation and subjugation by Soviet Russia.
We call on the United States and its allies to stand-up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Let’s learn from history and stop trying to appease a modern-day dictator.
The Ukrainian World Congress calls upon the international community to increase sanctions on Russia until it fully de-occupies the sovereign Ukrainian territories of the Donbas and Crimea, withdraws all troops and proxies, and accepts full responsibility for its war crimes in Ukraine.
JOINT STATEMENT: 75th anniversary of the meeting on the Elbe River
Following is the joint statement issued on April 25 by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia commemorating the 75th anniversary of the meeting on the Elbe. (Source: The White House)
April 25, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the historic meeting between American and Soviet troops, who shook hands on the damaged bridge over the Elbe River. This event heralded the decisive defeat of the Nazi regime.
The meeting on the Elbe represented a culmination of tremendous efforts by the many countries and peoples that joined forces under the framework of the United Nations Declaration of 1942. This common struggle required enormous sacrifice by millions of soldiers, sailors and citizens in multiple theaters of war.
We also recognize the contributions from millions of men and women on the home front, who forged vast quantities of war materials for use around the world. Workers and manufacturers played a crucial role in supplying the allied forces with the tools necessary for victory.
The “Spirit of the Elbe” is an example of how our countries can put aside differences, build trust and cooperate in pursuit of a greater cause. As we work today to confront the most important challenges of the 21st century, we pay tribute to the valor and courage of all those who fought together to defeat fascism. Their heroic feat will never be forgotten.