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President Vladimir Putin:

Dear veterans!

We have this good tradition of getting together on a day that is sacred to all of us – on the eve of the Victory day.

I give my warmest greetings to all of you, frontline soldiers of the Second World War, all of you who stood shoulder to shoulder, fought to the very end of the war and emerged victorious.

The world keeps the memory alive many years on, the memory of our common victory, the victory of different people living in different countries, people of different nationalities, different convictions and faith. This was a victory that united all of humanity, those who fought to the death on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, at the battle for Moscow, at Stalingrad and Leningrad, and those who fought in Normandy, in North Africa, the Atlantic and the Pacific.

I give my greetings to all the veterans here, to the Russian veterans and to our foreign guests.

I particularly want to note that even during the complex years of the Cold War, your military brotherhood was stronger than any political or ideological differences. The veterans preserved the spirit of unity, the spirit that was forged in the battle against a common enemy. And that spirit helped you and it helps us today to build new bridges of trust and understanding between our countries and peoples.

Today, as during the years of the anti-fascist coalition, we are trying to put differences behind us and move beyond stereotypes. Today, countries have joined forces in a common aim, forming a united front against international terrorism and becoming a real factor in world politics. This alliance is a force that is changing the entire system of international relations today. At the heart of any aggression, including terrorism, is the ideology of extremism and hatred for people who do not share one’s ethnicity or religion. Terrorism is a direct by-product of extremism and no one is completely safe from it, not even the wealthiest, most prosperous countries who are proud of their solid democratic traditions. It is important that we all remember today that no country can vanquish terrorism on its own. Our common fight against terrorism must be as uncompromising as was the fight against Nazism. This is what the lessons of the most terrible war in history have taught us.

I also want to make another point, and that is while we are building a new international security system today we realise how important it is to avoid the mistakes of the past. Attempts to dictate terms and seek unilateral advantages are just as destructive for stability in the world today as they were 60 years ago.

The Victory day is not just a day of glory and memory but also a day that time and again returns our thoughts to our responsibility not just for the present but also for the future.

Allow me to congratulate you on this Victory day. I would like to wish you all the best, wish you peace and health.

Thank you very much for your attention and happy holiday!