Honoring the past, resisting Russia’s present-day aggression

On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) joins the international community in solemn remembrance of the millions who perished and in celebration of the valiant men and women who defeated the Nazi war machine. 

We pay our deepest respects to the 250,000 courageous Ukrainians who served in the armed forces of Poland, France, Britain, the United States, and Canada. Their bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten. 

Ukraine stands alongside the free nations of Europe in observing the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism — rejecting Russia’s cynical exploitation of history as a tool for militarism, chauvinism, and imperial aggression. For decades, the Kremlin has manipulated the memory of World War II to justify its own expansionist ambitions, twisting the legacy of victory into a pretext for domination. 

Yet history itself exposes the truth: the Second World War began with the Molotov-Ribbentrop alliance between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, culminating in their joint invasion of Poland in 1939 — an act that plunged Ukraine into unimaginable suffering, caught between the twin tyrannies of Hitler and Stalin. 

Yet even after the defeat of Nazism, Ukraine remained shackled under Russian-Soviet oppression for decades before finally asserting its independence in 1991. 

Today, as Russia wages war on Ukraine, it revives the very horrors of the past, committing atrocities reminiscent of those perpetrated by the enemy in World War II. The lessons of history demand action — just as tyranny was defeated then, so too must it be confronted now. 

“Today, as Ukraine commemorates the victory over Nazism, Russia cynically hijacks this solemn occasion to glorify its own imperial ambitions — all while waging a genocidal war against Ukraine,” stated UWC President Paul Grod. “The Russian leadership distorts history, falsely claiming to fight ‘Nazism’ while committing atrocities that mirror those of the very enemy defeated in World War II. Their so-called ‘de-Nazification’ is nothing more than a grotesque justification for ethnic cleansing.” 

As we honor the victims and heroes of World War II, we call upon all nations to stand against Russia’s malignant chauvinism. The international community owes it to itself to dismantle Putin’s regime and support Ukraine in reclaiming its full sovereignty. Just as Nazism was vanquished, so too must Russian imperialism be defeated. 

On this 80th anniversary of victory in Europe, let us reaffirm our unwavering commitment to peace, freedom, and the defense of Ukraine and its people.