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President Ilves: we are commemorating all the victims of World War II

09.05.2010

At the invitation of the Russian Head of State, Mr. Dimitri Medvedev, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves participated in Moscow today at events to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. At the invitation of the Russian Head of State, Mr. Dimitri Medvedev, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves participated in Moscow today at events to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

“When commemorating the victims of World War II, it is rather out of place to speak of winners and losers; we are commemorating all the victims of this war,” said the Estonian Head of State before leaving Moscow.

“We commemorate all of those who lost their lives in battles without dwelling on the uniforms they wore, as these soldiers were also the victims of a war that was unleashed by totalitarian regimes, as were millions of civilians, who perished under bombs, in prisoner camps, and through famine and destitution,” said the Estonian Head of State. “World War II was a war that resulted in tremendous losses for all the nations of European and it is these victims whom we are commemorating together here.”

President Ilves added that “the end of this hideous war and the defeat of one evil did not, unfortunately, unite Europe, but instead it robbed many countries of their independence and self-governance, and a uniform and peaceful Europe was born only half a century later”.


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