In Victory Day Address, Putin Tells Russians of a Better America

May 9, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—On the occasion of the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany today, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in presiding over today’s “Victory Day” parade and ceremonies, reminded his citizens of the better angel of people in the West, saying,

“The memory of defenders of the Fatherland is sacred for us in Russia, and we cherish it in our hearts.” According to CNN, Putin went on: “We give credit to members of the Resistance who bravely fought Nazism, as well as the troops of the allied armies of the United States, Great Britain and other countries. We remember and honor the feat of Chinese soldiers in the fight against Japanese militarism.”

Such a joint effort in history should not be forgotten, he stressed:

“I strongly believe that the experience of solidarity and partnership during the years of fighting a common threat is our invaluable heritage and a secure foothold now when the unstoppable movement is gaining momentum towards a more just multipolar world, a world based on the principles of trust and indivisible security, of equal opportunities for a genuine and free development of all nations and peoples.”

While Putin certainly excoriated the greed, selfishness, and hypocrisy of Western leaders, he did not fail to include this attempt to touch what Lincoln called “the mystic chords of memory,” insisting, “For us, for Russia, there are no unfriendly or hostile nations either in the west or in the east. Just like the vast majority of people on the planet, we want to see a peaceful, free and stable future.” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov underlined Putin’s message today:

“We don’t have hostile peoples. This is a significant distinction, and this is how we interpret the President’s signal. This is the key difference between our policy and the line of our Western opponents in the current geopolitical environment of extreme confrontation. The Russian President stressed that there are no unfriendly peoples for us. But, of course, there are unfriendly governments,”

he explained, according to TASS. Western politicians are “totally absorbed by Russophobia....”