Discussing the causes of World War II during today’s ceremonies marking the 70th Anniversary of its outbreak, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin admitted that the war’s roots flowed from flaws in the Treaty of Versailles. Between 1934 and 1939 attempts were made to appease the Nazis in Germany.
“The combination of those actions led to the tragic outbreak of WWII and we must admit that such mistakes were indeed made. My country, its parliament condemned the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact. We have the right to expect that other countries will also condemn agreements concluded with the Nazi regime,” Putin said. Russia not only “admits to mistakes and errors of the past” but also “makes a practical contribution to building a new world based on new principles,” Putin added.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in her address that Europe did not need any more divisions, hatred and lawlessness. “Instead, we need compassion, generosity and understanding for suffering.”