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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

First of all, I would like to cordially welcome and express gratitude to all of you, our reliable friends and partners. You have come to Moscow to share the joy of the celebrations of Victory over Nazism and commemorate the heroes who saved humanity.

May 9 is a sacred day for our multinational people. The Soviet Union played a decisive role in defeating Nazism. It is a historical truth which nobody can hush, distort or take away from us.

The greatness of the heroism of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers will never fade. They engaged in a deadly combat for their country and homes, for the right to independently decide their fate, to speak and think in their national languages, and to bring up their children in accordance with their culture and traditions.

Neither will we forget our allies and comrades in that sacred battle, and the fact that Victory was brought about by the concerted efforts of the people of Europe, the United States, Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region, the fortitude and courage of the armed forces of the anti-Hitler coalition, members of the Resistance and national liberation movements, partisans and members of the underground.

May 1945 opened the door to a new architecture of global security, to creating a fundamental international institution – the United Nations Organisation. It is our duty to the generation of the victors to make full use of its vast potential.

I would like to reiterate that the demand for the UN and its importance are growing today, when a more just world order is being developed. It is essential to continue to strengthen its central coordinating role in global affairs, and to ensure strict compliance with the fundamental norms and principles of international law, sealed in the UN Charter, in their entirety, interconnection and interrelation. That issue was raised, in particular, at last year’s BRICS summit in Kazan, which many of the heads of delegations present here attended.

The celebrations of the 80^th anniversary of Victory in Moscow have brought together the leaders of a wide variety of sovereign states with different models of political, economic and social development, different religions, world outlooks, civilisations and cultures.

However, this diversity is not a dividing but an enriching factor, which makes us stronger because our relations and cooperation are based on shared values and aspirations. We stand for justice and equality, for the triumph of the noble ideals of friendship and neighbourly relations, for mutual accord and respect, for taking all opinions and interests into account, and for equal and indivisible security for all. We call on the international community to show solidarity in addressing the current acute problems, and to assume joint responsibility to our future generations.

I am confident that only this approach will help ensure a lasting peace, well-being and equal opportunities for all nations. Russia is ready for this joint creative work.

Friends, I would like to propose a toast to the generation of the victors, to the Great Victory, to peace and prosperity, and to you, our friends.