Polish Ambassador responds to Russian envoy article in FT

Poland Ambassador Prof. Adam Burakowski

With reference to 9 May Weekend FT article titled ‘7th anniversary of the Great Victory Day’ by Russia’s Ambassador in Sri Lanka Yury Materiy, the Polish Ambassador Prof. Adam Burakowski has sent the following statement.  

The mentioned article is based on falsification of the history by omitting the crucial facts which I would like to highlight:

nOn 23 August 1939 Soviet Union allied itself with Nazi Germany through Hitler-Stalin pact. According to this pact, both totalitarian regimes agreed to invade together Central-Eastern Europe.

nThe II World War did not start when Nazi Germany invaded Soviet Union in June 1941. It started on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. And a few weeks after, on 17 September 1939, the Soviet Union attacked Poland.

nSoviet Union invaded the countries of Central-Eastern Europe together with Nazi Germany. For almost two years Moscow was a close ally of Berlin. Benefiting from this alliance the Soviet Union invaded Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. 

nThe Soviet Union remained Nazi Germany’s ally and supported its further conquests in 1940-1941 in Europe – Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Yugoslavia and Greece. Soviet Union was the ally of Nazi Germany during the Battle of Britain.

nIn 1941, after almost two years of II World War, Nazi Germany suddenly attacked its ally, the Soviet Union.

nThe end of the II World War did not mean liberation of the countries of Central Eastern Europe. The Soviets in fact stopped the genocide conducted by the German Nazis, but they imposed their own occupation and terror, which lasted more than 40 years. Millions of people suffered from the Soviet oppression.

Fortunately when the totalitarian Soviet Union finally collapsed, our countries went on the path towards freedom and democracy.

We are united in the European Union and we enjoy the peace and stability. We will never forget the horrors made by the totalitarian regimes of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Let me quote the Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and the US Secretary of State on the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War:

“Marking the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 2020, we pay tribute to the victims and to all soldiers who fought to defeat Nazi Germany and put an end to the Holocaust.

While May 1945 brought the end of the Second World War in Europe, it did not bring freedom to all of Europe. The central and eastern part of the continent remained under the rule of communist regimes for almost 50 years. The Baltic States were illegally occupied and annexed and the iron grip over the other captive nations was enforced by the Soviet Union using overwhelming military force, repression, and ideological control.

For many decades, numerous Europeans from the central and eastern part of the continent sacrificed their lives striving for freedom, as millions were deprived of their rights and fundamental freedoms, subjected to torture and forced displacement. Societies behind the Iron Curtain desperately sought a path to democracy and independence.

The events of 1956, creation and activities of the Charter 77, the Solidarity movement, the Baltic Way, the Autumn of Nations of 1989, and the collapse of the Berlin Wall were important milestones which contributed decisively to the recreation of freedom and democracy in Europe.

Today, we are working together toward a strong and free Europe, where human rights, democracy and the rule of law prevail. The future should be based on the facts of history and justice for the victims of totalitarian regimes. We are ready for dialogue with all those interested in pursuing these principles. Manipulating the historical events that led to the Second World War and to the division of Europe in the aftermath of the war constitutes a regrettable effort to falsify history.

We would like to remind all members of the international community that lasting international security, stability and peace require genuine and continuous adherence to international law and norms, including the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.

By learning the cruel lessons of the Second World War, we call on the international community to join us in firmly rejecting the concept of spheres of influence and insisting on equality of all sovereign nations.